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TOLAND'S HISTORY.

: •

Tf.

CRITICAL HISTORY

OF THE

CELTIC RELIGION,

AND

LEARNING:

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE

' D R U I B &,-. .

/ OR, THE

PRIESTS AND JUDGES,

OF THE VAIDS, OR THE DIVINERS II AND OF THE BARDS, OR T
AND PHYSICIANS; POETS AND HERALDS;

i i \ M • /. /

OF THE ,\ V

ANCIENT GAULS, BRITONS, IRISH AND SCOTS. )

BY JOHN TOJLAND, M. A.

WITH THE

HISTORY

ABARIS, THE HYPERBORIAN, PRIEST OF

THE SUN.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

An Abstract of the Life of the Author. '

EDINBURGH: V'*^

PRINTED BY JOHN FINDLAY ; AND, SOLD BY GILBERT

AND HODGES. AND THE OTHER PRINCIPAL

BOOKSELLERS IN DUBLIN.

1815.

TO THE

REV. PAUL O'BRIEN,

PROFESSOR OF THE IRISH LANGUAGE,
ROYAL COLLEGE OF ST, PATRICK,
MAYNOOTH.

SIR, -

I take the Liberty of

DEDICATING this Edition of Toland's
HISTORY OF THE DRUIDS to you, as a Tes~

timony of High Esteem for your great
Learning; Veneration for your Christian
Virtues; and, as a public Acknowledgement
of the liberal Encouragement, and generous
Assistance which you have rendered

YOUR MUCH OBLIGED,
AND OBEDIENT SERVANT,

JOHN FIND LAY.

The Editor having followed the Original Copy in order to make

no alteration in the Work, believes the following to be a

necessary Eratta thereto;

For the following

7or the following

irhcreTer they

Read,

wherever they Read.

occur,

48 Fourbery,

Forgery,

13(3 Onely, Only,

53 Instigation,

Instigation,

.. . Bein, Been,

78 Oontemt,

Contempt,

138 Soverain, Sovereign,

... Atchievments,

Achievements,

143 Neighbors, Neighbours,

,.. Diverse,

Divert,

146 Vocobulary, Vocabularly,

80 Symboll,

Symbol, > ^

160 Judgements, Judgments,

90 i on troll,

Controul,

151 Sufllciant. Sufficient,

... Exemted,

Exempted,

153 Welcom, Welcome,

91 Ounegall,

Donegal,

. . . Somthing, Something,

92 ;ovemg,

Moving,

154 Gray, Grey,

...Dy,

Die,

156 Hony, Honey,

93 Sucoedeing,

Succcjeding,

160 Olde, Old,

... "Murdrung,

Murdering,

.. . Croos'd, Crossed,

94 Then,

Than,

161 Shooi, Shoes,

96 Forcn,

Foreign,

lb'5 Maritim, Maritime,

... Bnttish,

British,

16(3 Neighboring,Neighbouring,

... Hands,

Islands,

167 Scepter, Sceptre,

...lie,

Isle,

179 Felow, Fellow,

97 Pyramyds,

Pyramids,

184 Shipwreck, Shipwreck,

99 Fheatei,

Theatre,

188 Submitt, Submit,

100 Is,

His,

190 Endeavored, Endeavoured,

103 Conterptible,

Contemptible,

196 Vail, Veil,

104 Throout,

Throughout,

201 Sault, Salt.

106 Volum,

Volume,

..* Begetting, Begeting,

109 Travellers,

Travellers,

203 Harbors, Harbours,

.... Fanletched,

Farfetched,

205 Ly, Lie.

112 Fntrals,

Entrails,

... Ey- witness, Eye-witness,

115 Treble,

Trouble,

210 Mony, Money,

119 lewith,

Elueish,

212 Suteable, Suitable,

122 *-xcede,

Exceed,

. . . Widdojv, Widow,

183 Ban an,

Barren,

215 Harki n, Hearken,

,... Entitling,

Entitleing,

216 Faboulouslv, Fabulously.

.,,. Mettals,

Metals,

ABSTRACT

OF THE

LIFE OF JOHN TOL AND.

J OHN TOLAND was born on the 30th November,
1670, in the most northern Peninsula in Ireland, OR
the Isthmus whereof stands Londonderry. That Pen-
insula was originally called I?iis*Eogan, or Inis-Eogain,
but is now called Enis-Owcn. Toland had the name
of Janus Junius given him at the font, and was call*
ed by that name in the school roll every morning; but
the other boys making a jest of it, the master ordered
him to be called John, which name he kept ever after.

Mr. Toland, as far as now can be collected, was the
son of a Popish Priest ; and, he hath been abused by
Abbot Tilladet, Bishop Huetius and others, on the
ground of his alleged illegitimacy: which, were it true,
is a most base and ridiculous reproach ; the child, in
such a case, being entirely innocent of the guilt of his
parents* Had Mr. Toland been really illegitimate,

which was not the case, no infamy could have at-
tached to him on that account, unless he can be sup-
posed to have had the power of directing the mode of
His coming' into existence. The following testimonial
given him at Prague, wrhere he was residing in 1708,
will however, sufficiently remove so foolish and ground-
less an imputation,- It runs thus :

Infra scripti" testamur Dom. Joamrem Toland; ortum
esse ex honesty. Aobili et antiquissima familia, qua&
per plures eenfeios annosr ut Regni Historia et con-
tinua monstranfc memoria, in Peninsula Hiberniae
Enis-Oitien dicta prope urbem Londino-Deriensem in
Ultonia, perduravit. In cujus rei firmiorem fidem, nos
ex eadem- patria eriundi propriis manibus subscripsi-
mus, Pragae in Bohemia, hac die 2. Jan.. 1708.

Joannes O'Niell svtporior Collegii Hibernorum,
L. S. Francisus O'Deulm, S. Theologiae Professor,
Rudolphus O'Niellr S.Theol. Lector,

TRANSLATION ;

" We Subscribers t€stiry, that Mr. John Toland is
a descended of an honourable, noble, and very ancient
" family, which resided several centuries on the Pen-
" insula of Ireland, called Enis-Oiuen, near the city of
" Londonderry in Ulster, which the history of that
•< kingdom, and continual mention of the family
" clearly establish. For the sure* credence of this,
w we natives of the same country have subscribed with

•" our own hands at. Prague in Bohemia, this 2d Jan.
« 1708."

The Reader will see from this Certificate of the
Irish Franciscans at Prague, that Mr. Toland was
lionourably, nobly and anciently descended.

We may however take it for granted, that his rela-
tions were Papists; for in his preface to Christianity not
Mysterious, he tells us, " that he was educated from
" the cradle in the grossest Superstition and Idolatry,
•'•' but God was pleased to make his own reason, and
" such as made use of theirs, the happy instruments
-" of his Conversion." He again 'informs us, in his
Apology, " that he was not sixteen years old when
•ft he became as zealous against Popery, as he has ever
* since continued."

From the scliool at Redcastle, near Londonderry, he
went in 1687> to the College of Glasgow ; and after
jthree years stay there, visited Edinburgh, where he
was created Master of Arts on the 30th of June, 1690,
.and received the usual Diploma from the Professors, of
which the following is a copy,

Universis et singulis ad qtios praesentes literae perve-
aiient, NOS universitatis Jacobi Regis Edinburgenae
Professores, Salutem in Domino sempiternam compre-
>ramur : Unaque testamur ingenuum hunc bonae Spei
Juvenem IMagistrum Joannem Toland Hibernum, mo-
:vibus, diligentia, et kudabili successu se nobis ita ap-

probasse ut post editum Philosophic! profectus examen,
Solenni more Magister in Artibus liberalibus renunti-
aretur, in Comitiis nostris Laureatis anno Salutis Mil-
lesimo, Sexcentesimo et Nonagesimo, trigesimo die
Junii : Quapropter non dubitamus eum nunc a Nobis
in patriam redeuntem, utegregiumAdolescentem, om-
nibus quos adire, vel quibuscum versari contigerit, de
meliori nOta commendare, sperantes ilium (opitulantfc
divina gratia) LiterishisceTestimonialibus fore abunde
responsumm. In quorum fidem inclyta Civitas Edin-
burgum Academic hujus parens et Altrix sigillo suo
publico literassyngraphis Nostris porro confirmari jussit.

Al. Monro, S.S.T.D. Professor Primarius.

Jo.'Strachan, S. S. T. D. ejusdemque Professor.

D. Gregorie, Math. P.

J. Herbertus Kennedy, P. P.
L. S. J. Drummond, II. L. P.

Tho. Burnet, Ph. P.

Robertus Henderson, B. et Academise ab
Archivis &c.

Dabamus in supradictol
Athenaeo Regio 22do. I
die Julii anno ^Erae [
Christianas 1690. J

TRANSLATION.

" To all and every one, to whom the present letter
4- may come, We the Professors of the University of E-
k- diuburgh,founded by King James, wish eternalsalva-
«4 tion in the Lord : and at the game time testify, that

« this ingenuous youth, Mr. John Toland of excellent
" promise, has so highly satisfied us by his good conduct,
" diligence andlaudable progress, that after ya public ex-
" animation of his progress in Philosophy, he was after
** the usual manner declared Master of the liberal Arts,
<( in our Comitia Laureata, in the year of Redemption
" 1 690, 30th June : Wherefore we do not hesitate to re-
" commend him now returning from us, to his native
" country, as an excellent young man, to all persons of
" better note, to whom he may have access, or with
" whom he may sojourn, hoping that he (through the
" aid of Divine Grace,) will abundantly answer the cha-
" racter given him in this Diploma. In testimony of
" which, the ancient city of Edinburgh, the Parent and
" Benefactress of this Academy has ordered this writ-
" ing with our subscriptions, to receive the additional
" confirmation of their Fublic Seal."

Given in the aforesaid Royal }
Athenseum, 22d July, 1690. j

Mr. John Toland having received his Diploma, re-
turned to Glasgow, where he resided but a short time.
On Ins departure, the magistrates of that city gavtf
him the following recommendation.

" We the Magistrates of Glasgow under subscribing,
<; do hereby certifie and declare, to all whom these pre-
w sents may concern, That the bearer John Toland,
" Master of Arts, did reside here for some yeares, as a
45 student at the Universitie in this City, during which

« time he behaved himself as ane trew Protestant, and
46 Loyal Subject, as witness our hands at Glasgow, the
(f penult day of July one thousand six hundred and nine-
" tie yeares, and the common Seal of Office of the said
*> City is hereunto affixt,

" JOHN LECK.
" L. S, GEORGE NISBITT."

It is worthy of remark, that Mr. Toland resided at
Glasgow during the years 1688 and 1689, the two last
of the Bloody Persecution of the Church of Scotland,
and must have been an eye witness of many tyranni-
cal and relentless scenes. It is well known, that the
students of Glasgow, as a collective body, repeatedly
joined the citizens, in repelling several of the military
parties sent against them ; and there can hardly re-
main a doubt, that Poland made one of the number*
This sufficiently accounts for the Certificate given him
by the Magistrates of Glasgow*

Mr. Toland dates his con version, from the 16th year
of his age, which nearly coincides with his arrival m
Glasgow ; for it will be recollected, that he did not
complete his 20th year, till the 30th of November af-
ter leaving this city. It is therefore most probable,
that he was here converted from Popery, and imbibed
these notions of the simplicity and purity of Christiani-
ty which he afterwards retained. 9

Instead of returning to Ireland, Mr. Toland went to

England, where he lived, (as he informs us in
gy,) in as good Protestant families as any in the king-
dom, till he went to 'the famous university of Leyden,
to perfect his studies, under the celebrated Spanhemius,
Triglandius, &c. There he was supported by some
eminent Dissenters in England, who had conceived
great hopes from his uncommon parts, and might flat- '
ter themselves, he would one day become the Colossus
of the party ;- for he himself informs us, in a Pamphlet
published at London in 1697, that he had lived in their
communion, ever since he quitted Popery. " Mr. To-
land (says he, in answer to the imputation of being a
rigid Non-conformist) will never deny but the real sim-
plicity pf the Dissenters' worship ; and the seeming e-
quity of their discipline, (into which, being so young,
he could not distinctly penetrate,) dUl gain extraordi-
narily on his affections, just as he was newly delivered
from the insupportable yoke of the most pompous and
tyrannical policy that ever enslaved mankind, under
the name or shew of religion. But, when greater ex-
perience and more years had a little ripened his judg-
ment, he easily perceived that the differences were not
so wide, as to appear irreconcileable, or at least, that
rnen who were sound Protestants on both sides, should
barbarously cut one anothers' throats ; or indeed give
any disturbance to the society about them. And as
soon as he understood the late heats and animosities
did not totally, if at all, proceed from a concern for
mere religion, he allowed himself a latitude in several

things, that would have been matter of scruple to him
before. His travels increased, and the study of Ec-
clesiastical History perfected this disposition, wherein
he continues to this hour ; for, whatever his own opin-
ion of these differences be, yet he finds so essential an
agreement between French, Dutch, English/ Scottish,
and other Protestants, that he is resolved never to lose
the benefit of an instructive discourse, in any of their
churches, on that score ; and, it must be a civil, not a
religious interest that can engage him against any of
these parties, not thinking all their private notions
wherein they differ, worth endangering, much less sub-
verting, the public peace of a nation. If this (pursues
he,) makes a man a Non-conformist* then Mr. Toland
is one unquestionably."

In 1692, Mr. Daniel Williams, a Dissenting Minis-
ter, published a Book, entitled, Gospel Truth Stated
and Vindicated, in opposition to Dr. Crisp. Mr. Tol-
and desired the Author of the Bibliotheque Universellc
to give an Abstract of it in that Journal. The Jour-
nalist complied ; and, to the Abstract of Mr. William's
book, prefixed Mr. Toland's recommendatory letter,
and styles him Student in Divinity. Bibliotheque Uni-
verselle, torn 23rd, page 506.

Having staid about two years at Ley den, he returned
to England, and soon after went to Oxford, where, be-
sides the conversation of learned men, he had the ad-
vantage of the public library. Here he collected ma-

terials on various subjects ; and, composed some pieces,
among others, a Dissertation, wherein he proves the
received history of the tragical death of Atilius Regu-
lus, the Roman Consul, to be a fable ; and, with that
candour which uniformly characterizes him, owns him-
self indebted for this notidh to Palmerius*

In 1695, he left Oxford, and came to London. In
1696, he published his Christianity not Mysterious; or,
a Treatise, shelving that there is nothing in the Gospel
contrary to reason^ nor above it ; and, that no Christian
Doctrine can properly be called a Mystery. Mr. To-
land defines, MYSTERY to be, a thing intelligible in it-
self, but which could not be known, without special
Revelation. And, to prove the assertion, he examines
all the passages in the New Testament, where the word
MYSTERY occurs; and shews, lst,That MYSTERY is read
for the Gospel ; or, the Christian Religion in gener-
al, as it was a future dispensation, totally hid from the
Gentiles, and but imperfectly known to the Jews.
Secondly, That some peculiar doctrines, occasion-
ally revealed by the Apostles, are said to be mani*
fested mysteries ; that is, unfolded secrets : and 3dly,
that mystery is put for any thing veiled under parables,
or enigmatical forms of speech. But, he declares, at
the same time, that, if his adversaries think fit to call
a mystery, whatever is either absolutely unintelligible
to us, or whereof we have but inadequate ideas ; lie

is ready to admit of as many mysteries in religion as
they please.

So far, the candid reader will be apt to think there
is no great harm done. If Mr. Toland's adversaries
did not choose to adopt his definition of the word mys-
tery, he processes himself willing to accede to theirs ;
and indeed, all that has bef n advanced on either side
of the question., is merely a dispute about words. He
pretends, that he can give as clear and intelligible an
explanation of the mysteries of the gospel, as of the phe-
nomena of nature: and, do not our divines do the same
thing, by attempting to give a rational explanation of
the Trinity, and the Resurrection, the greatest mys-
teries of the Christian religion ? Such explanations are
the tests of the soundness of their doctrine ; and, who,
knows but Mr. Toland's explanation, had he given one,
might liave been orthodox.

This Treatise alarmed the public ; and several cler-
gy replied to it. Messrs. Beconsal> Beverley, Norris,
and Elys ; Doctors PAIN, and STILLINGFLEET ; the
Author of the Occasional Papers ; Messrs. Millar,
Gailhard, and Synge, all entered the lists. It was even
presented by the Grand Jury of Middlesex ; but, this
measure had no other effect, than to promote the sale of
the book, mankind being naturally prone to pry into
What is forbidden them.

This same year, Mr. Toland published a Discourse

en Coins, by Signior Bernardo ;Pavanzati, a gentle-
man of Florence, delivered in the academy there, annt
1588 ; translated from Italian by John Toland.

Christianity not Mysterious having found its way in-
to Ireland, made some noise there, as well as in Eng-
land ; but, the clamour was considerably increased, on
the author's arrival there, in the beginning of 1697.
Mr. Mollineux, in a letter to Mr. Locke, dated 10th
April, 1697, says, " The Irish clergy were alarmed a-
*• gainst him to a mighty degree ; and, £hat he had his
" welcome to that city, by hearing himself harangued
" against, from the pulpit, by & Prelate of that
<•' Country."

Mr. Toland himself tells us, in his Apology, that he
was hardly arrived in that country, when lie found
himself warmly attacked from the pulpit, which at first
could not but startle the people, who till then, were
equal strangers to him and his book ; but that in a
short time, they were so well accustomed to this sub-
j'ect, that it was as muck expected, as if it had bee A
prescribed in the Kubrick. He also informs us, that
-his own silence respecting the book in question, made
liis enemies insinuate that he was not the author of it.

When this rough treatment of Mr. Toland from the
pulpit proved insignificant, the Grand Jury was solicit-
ed to present him, for a Book ^ ritten and published i$
, fhe presentment of the Grand Jury ofMidlr

dlesex, was printed with an emphatical title, and cried
about the streets. Mr. Toland was accordingly pre-
sented there, the last day of the term, in the Court of
King's Bench,

At that time, Mr, Peter Brown, Senior Fellow of
Trinity College, Dublin, published a book against Mr.
Toland's Christianity not Mysterious, in which he repre-
sented him, as an inveterate enemy to all revealed religi-
on ; a knight errant ; one who openly affected to be the
head of a sect, and designed to be as famous an im-
poetor as Mahomet. Mr. Brown was afterwards made
bishop of Cork ; and Mr. Toland used frequently to
say, " That he made him a bishop." This is the same
jacobitical gentleman, who, because he -could not bear
that any person should drink the health of King Wil-
liam, wrote a pamphlet against health-drinking, as
being a profanation of the Lord's Supper f

Mr. Mollineux sent Mr. Brown's book to Mr. Locke.,
and in a letter to him, dated 20th of July, 1697, says,
'• Mr. Toland has had his opposers here, as you will
•' find by a book I have sent you. The author is my
" acquaintance ; but, two things I shall never forgive,
*• in his book : the one, is the foul language and op-
c; probrious epithets he has bestowed on Mr. Toland.
<; The other is, upon several occasions, calling in the
<f aid of the civil magistrate, and Delivering Mr. To-
" land up to secular punishment. This indeed is akil-
u ling argument ; but, may dispose some to think,

" that where the strength of reason failed him, there
" he flies to the strength of the sword," &c.

Mr. Toland, it seems, was dreaded in Ireland as a
second Goliath, who at the head of the Philistines de-
fied the armies of; Israel, in so much, that Mr. Han-
cock, the Recorder of Dublin, in his congratulatory ha-
rangue, to the Lords Justices of that kingdom, in the
name of his corporation, begged their Lordships would
protect the Church from all its adversaries ; but, parti-
cularly from the Tolandists.

But to give the last and finishing stroke to Mr. To-
land's book, it was brought before the parliament. Se-
veral persons eminent for their birth ; good qualities,
and fortune, opposed the whole proceedings ; but,
finding themselves over-ruled in this, they urged, that
the objectionable passages should be read. That Toland
should be heard in his defence personally ; or at least,
by letter. All these propositions were rejected, and
Mr. Toland, unheard and undefended, was ordered to be
taken into the custody of the serjant at arms. Mr.
Toland made his escape, but his book was burnt by
the common hangman, on the llth September, 1697*
before the gate of the parliament-house ; and also, in
the open street, before the town-house ; the sheriffs
and all the constables attending.

Dr. South in the preface to his third volume of Ser-
compliments the Archbishop of Dublin, on his

treatment of Tolancl, whom he calls a Mahometan
Christian ; and particularly, that he made the kingdom
too hot for him, without the help of a faggot. The fag-
got had been kindled in Scotland from the one end to
the other, during the twenty-eight years persecution,
and innocent and holy men burnt alive, merely for being
non-conformists .' or in other words, for not preferring
the dogmas of arbitrary and interested men, to the sa-
cred Scriptures. Toland's crimes appear to have been
much of the same land, and it was very consistent in
the Doctor to hint at a similar punishment.

On Mr. Toland's return to London, he published his
Apology, (giving an account of his conduct, and vindi-
cating himself from the aspersions and persecutions of
Ms enemies.

In 1698, party-disputes ran high. The partizans of
the house of Steuart wished to facilitate the Preten-
der's return, by keeping up no standing army at all.

Their opponents took different ground. — * Several

pamphlets appeared ; and among the rest, one from
the pen of Mr. Tolancl, wherein he recommends model-
ling the militia on such a p]an, as to render it adequate
to the maintenance of internal tranquillity, and repul-
sion of foreign invasion. Indeed, on every occasion, we
'find Mr. Toland a staunch friend to the revolution, and
.the Protestant succession ; and, thcfugh this was not
the .ostensible, still there is every reason to reckon it

— *

the real cause of his persecution ; his enemies, almost
to a man, entertaining very different sentiments.

This same year, he published the life of John Milton,
which was prefixed to his works, in three volumes
folio. In the course of Milton's life, Mr. Toland prov-
ed that Icon Basilike was not written by Charles 1st,
but by Dr. Gauden, and took occasion to remark, that,
when this imposition was practised on the nation, at
no greater distance of time than forty years, he ceased
to wonder how so many suppositions pieces, under the.
name of Christ and his Apostles, should be published,
approved, $c. Had he denied the Trinity, or bias-,
phemed the Holy Ghost, it would have been nothing
in comparison of curtailing the literary fame of the roy*
al Martyr of the church of England.

Accordingly, Mr Blackall, chaplin to the king, in a
Sermon preached before the house of commons, 30th
January, 1689, says, " We may cease to wonder, that
« he (Mr. Toland,) should have the boldness, without
" proof, and against proof, to deny the authority of
" this book, who is such an Infidel to doubt, and ig
•" shameless and impudent enough, even in print, and
" in a Christian country, publicly to affront our holy
" religion, by declaring his doubt, that several pieces
" under the name of Christ and his Apostles, ,(he must
" mean those received by the whole Christian church,
" for I know of no other,) are supposititious," 8p. The

reader will here smile, to see that Mr. Blackall rests
the whole stress of Mr. Toland's Infidelity, on his own
ignorance. Mr. Blackall expressly says, " Mr. To-
« land must mean the Books of the New Testament,"
because he knows of no other. Excellent Logician !

In order to vindicate himself, Mr. Toland published
Amyntor, in which he fe-doubles his arguments, to
prove Dr. Gauden the author of Icon Basilike ; and,
at the same time, published a list of supposititious
pieces, ascribed to Christ, his Apostles, and other emi-
nent men, extending to no less than forty-three octavo
pages. After having given that catalogue, he proceeds
thus :

" Here is a long catalogue for Mrj Blackall, who,
« it is probable, will not think the more meanly of
" himself, for being unacquainted with these pieces ;
« nor, if that were all, should I be forward to think the
" worse of him on this account : but I think, he is to
« blame, for denying that there were any such, be-
" cause he knew nothing of them ; much less should
" he infer from thence, that I denied the Scriptures ;
" which scandal, however, as proceeding from igno-
" ranee, I heartily forgive him, as every good Christian
" ought to do."

What a calm, dignified, Christian reply to the very
man, who, without the least shadow of fact, proclaim-

ed Mr. Toland an impudent and shameless Infidel, be-
fore the whole House of Commons. Poor Mr. Blackall
was obliged to say something or other in his own de-
fence. He published a pamphlet, wherein he labours
hard to prove, that Mr. Toland's words were liable to
misapprehension ; and says, " I charged Mr. Toland
with doubting of the bodks of the New Testament,
but he declares, he does not mean those books, there-
fore we are now agreed : there can be no dispute be-
tween us on that subject."

« •

In the same year, 1699, Mr. Toland published the
Memoirs of Denzil, Lord Hollis, Baron of Ifield in
Sussex, from 1641 to 1648. The manuscript was put
into his hands, by the Duke of Newcastle, who was
one of his patrons and benefactors ; and he dedicated
the work to his Grace.

In 1 700, he published in folio, Harrington's Oceana,
with some other pieces of that ingenious author, not be-
fore printed, to which he prefixed the life of the author.
From the preface to this work, which is dated 30th
November, 1699, we learn Mr. Toland's exact age, for
he there informs us, that this very day he was begin*
ning his thirtieth year.

About the same time, appeared a pamphlet, entitled
Clito ; or the force of Eloquence. The printer gave
Mr, Toland as the author. This piece, consists of a

dialogue between Clito and Adcisidannon. This K a?
poetical performance. Mr. Toland is known by the
name ABEISIDIEMON, which he translates, unsupersti-
tious. This was animadverted on, Jby an anonmyous
clergyman, Who, after a torrent of Billingsgate abuse,
translates Adeisicfaemoa, (in open violation of all the
rules --of etymology and common sense,) one that fears
neither God nor devil. To such pitiful lengths will the
rancour of party-spirit drive men, when they are deter-
mined to calumniate with,; or without reason.

In the beginning of 1 701 , he published, The Art of
Governing by Parties, which he dedicated to King
William the Hid. ; and, about the same time, published
3 pamphlet, in quarto, entitled Propositions for uniting
the two East-India Companies.

In March following, the lower and upper house of
Convocation, with, the concurrence of the bishops, re-
solved to proceed against Mr. Toland's CHRISTIANITY
NOT MYSTERIOUS, and his AMYNTOR, with all possible
rigour. After passing some resolutions against these
books, they found they could not proceed without a
license from the king. Rather than solicit this BOON,
they dropped their proceedings against Mr. Toland.
Can any circumstance speak more strongly in the vin-
dication of Mr. Toland ? Can any tiling shew the in-
nocence of our author, in a clearer jfoint of view, than
that the whole united English hierarchy, durst not so-

licit a license from the king to prosecute him, because
they were sure it would be refused ? This circum-
stance affords more than a presumption, that .Mr- To-
land's principal crimes, in the eyes of his enemies, were
his predilection for Presbyterianisrn ; and, attachment
to King William.

Be that as it may, when -on the death pf the Duke
of Gloucester, an act was passed in June, 1701, for the
better securing1 the Protestant succession to the crown.
Mr. Toland published his ANGLIA LIBERA ; or the Li-
mitation and Succession of the Crown of England ex-
plained and asserted ; as grounded on his Majesty's
Speech ; the proceedings of Parliament 4 the desires
*>f the People ; the -safety of our Religion ; the Nature
of our Constitution ; the Balance of Europe ; and,
the Rights of Mankind. This Treatise, he dedicated
to his patron, the duke of Newcastle.

The king having sent tlie earl o'f Macclesfield t&
Hanover, with the act of succession, Mr, Toland ac-
companied him, and presented his ANXJLIA LIBERA to
her Electoral Highness the Princess Sophia ; and was
the first who had the honour of kneeling and kisaing
her hand, on account of the act of succession. The Earl
cf Macclesfield recommended him warmly to her
Highness. Mr, Toland staid there five or six weeks, and
at his departure, their Highnesses the Electress Dow-
iiger, and the Elector presented him with several gold
..medals, as a princely remuneration for the book he had

written, about the succession, in defence of their title
and family. Her- highness condescended to give him
likewise, portraits of herself, the Elector, the young
Prince, and of her Majesty the Queen of Prussia, done in
oil colours. The Earl of Macclesfield, on his return,
waited on the king at London, and presented Mr. To-
land, who had the honour of kissing his Majesty's hand.

The Parliament was dissolved 1 1th November, and a
new one summoned to meet the 30th December. The
Tory party appeared horribly afraid that Mr. Toland
would obtain a seat in the ensuing Parliament, and
circulated a report that he was to be returned for
Blechingley in Surry, a borough in the interest of Sir
Robert Clayton. Mr. Toland, who had no intention
whatever of this kind, contradicted the report, by an
advertisement in the Post-man. Even this harmless act
could not pass without censure, but gave occasion to
an anonymous author to publish a pamphlet, entitled
" Modesty mistaken ; or a Letter to Mr. Toland, up-
*£ on his declining to appear in the ensuing Parlia-
« ment"

On the opening of parliament, Mr. Toland publish-
ed his Paradoxes of State, grounded chiefly on hi?
•majesty's princely, pious, and most gracious speech.

Soon after, he published " Reasons for addressing his
" Majesty to invite into England, frhe Electress Dow-
" ager, and the Electoral Prince of Hanover ; and for
t; attainting -and abjuring the pretended Prince of

« Wales," tyc. This was answered by Mr. Luke Mil-
burn. But, Mr. Toland had the high gratification to
see parliament attend to his suggestions. An act was
accordingly passed for the attainder of the pretended
Prince of Wales ; and another, for the better security
of his Majesty's Person, and the Protestant succession,
$c. and enjoining an oath of abjuration of the Preten-
der. Thus, instead of an enemy to religion, or civil
liberty, we find him strenuously recommending the most
efficacious measures for the preservation of both.

Some difference leaving arisen between the lower
and upper house of Convocation, on a point of jurisdic-
tion, respecting their proceedings against Christianity
not Mysterious,- the year before, a paper war commen-
ced between them, and several pamphlets appeared
on both sides. Those written by the partizans of
the upper house, were favourable to Mr. Toland'; but,
those written in favour of the Jower house, the reverse.
He therefore, seized this opportunity of publishing his
Vindicius Liberius ; being a vindication of his Chris-
tianity not Mysterious ; — a full and clear account of
his religious and civil principles ; and, a justification
of those called Whigs and Common-wealth men, against
the mis-representations of all their opposers.

After the publication of this book, Mr. Toland went
to the courts of Hanover and Berlin, where ho was
very graciously received by the Princess Sophia, and
the Queen of Prussia* He was often admitted to their

conversation ; and wrote some pieces, which he pre-
sented to herMajesty. There he wrote also, an account
of the courts of Prussia and Hanover.

On his return to England, 1704, he published seve-
ral philosophical letters ; three of which, he inscribed
to the Queen of Prussia, under the designation of
Serena.

1st, The Origin and Force of Prejudices.

2d, The History of the Soul's Immortality among
fhe Heathens.

3d, The Origin of Idolatry, and Reasons of
Heathenism.

4th, A Letter to a Gentleman in Holland, shewing
Spinoza's System of Philosophy, to be without Princi-
ple or Foundation,

5th, Motion essential to Matter ; in answer to some
remarks, by a noble Friend, on the confutation of
Spinoza. Mr. Toland informs us, that the Queen of
Prussia was pleased to ask his opinion, respecting the
Subjects treated of, in the three Letters inscribed to
her.

These Letters were animadverted on, by Mr. Wot-
tcn, in a pamphlet, entitled, " Letters to Eusebia."

At the same time, he published arj English transla-
tion of the Life of JEsop, by Monsieur De Meziriae,
and dedicated it to Anthony Collins, Esq.

In 1705, he published the following pieces*

1st, Socinianism truly stated, <%c.

2d, An Account of the Courts of Prussia and Han-
over, dedicated to the Duke of Somerset.

3rd, The Ordinances, Statutes and Privileges of the
Royal Academy at Berlin. Translated from the origi-
&al.

The same year, Counsellor Pooley, and Dr. Drake,
wrote the Memorial of the Church of England, with $
view to influence the ensuing parliamentary election*
by representing the Whig Administration, as plotting
the ruin of the Church.

By the direction of Mr. Harley, secretary of state,
this memorial was answered, by Mr. Toland, in a
Pamphlet, entitled, « The Memorial of the State of
* England, in Vindication of the Queen, the Church,
*'« and the Administration : designed to rectify the mu-
« tual mistakes of Protestants ; and, to unite their af-
** fections, in defence of our Religion and Liberty ?
On the suggestion of Mr. Harley, who was one of Mr,
Toland's patrons and benefactors, this treatise was
published, without the author's name.

This pamphlet was answered, by Thomas Raulins*
Esq., who made a direct attack on the duke of Marl-
borough's, and Mr. Harley's conduct. Mr. William
Stephens, rector of Sutton, in Surry, being found the
publisher; and, refusing to bear, evidence against Mr.

Ruulins, was sentenced ; to stand on the pillory ; but*
the sentence was afterwards remitted.

Mr. Toland was directed by Mr. Harley to answer
Pamphlet, which he did ; but, for some reasons,
now unknown, the design was dropped, after part of
Mr. Toland's answer had been printed.

Mr. Harley having found among his manuscripts, a
Philippic against France, written in Latin, by one
Cardinal Matthew, in 1514, gave it to Mr. Toland who
edited it, both in English and Latin : along with o-
ther violent expressions, it contains the following,
Gallontm Ungues non resecandos, sed pentius cvellendos
cssg ; i. e. That the nails of the French were not to
be pared, but torn out by the roots.

Soon after, he published the Elector Palatine's De-
claration, lately published in favour of his Protestant
Subjects, <|c. This Mr. Toland did, at the particular
request .of the Elector Palatine's minister.

In the Spring, Mr. Toland went to Germany, and
visited Berlin, Hanover, Dusseldorp, Vienna and Pra-
gue in Bohemia. At Dusseldorp, he was most graci-
ously received by his Electoral Highness, who, in con-
sideration of the English pamphlet, published by him,
presented him with a gold chain and medal, besides a
hundred ducats. From Prague, he^ returned to Hol-
land, where he staid till 1710.

In Holland, he published the following Di.sserta1.ion5>

vix. 1st, Adeisidcemon, sive Titus Livius a Superstitions
Vindicatus, &c.

2d o. OrigneS Judaicce, &c. In the course of this Dis-
sertation, he animadverted on Huetius' Demonstratio
Evangelica. He ridicules Huetius for affirming that
several eminent persons recorded in the Old Testament
are allegorized in the Heathen Mythology; and parti-
culary Moses tinder the names of Bacchus, Typho,
Silenus, Priapus, and Adonis. Though Mr. Toland
was unquestionably in the right, Huetius was greatly
incensed, and expressed his resentment in a letter,
first published in the Journal of Trevoux, and after-
wards printed by Abbot Tilladet. It will be recollec-
ted, that these are the two gentlemen, who endeavoured
to convict Mr. Toland of the high and unpardonable
crime, of not directing his parents to propagate him
legitimately.

In 1709, he published at Amsterdam, a second edi-
tion of his Philippic against France.

In 1710, he published without his name, a French
pamphlet, relating to Dr. SachevereU.

While in Holland, he had the good fortune to get
acquainted with prince Eugene of Savoy, who gave
him several marks of his generosity.

After his return to England in 1711? he published

the Humours of Epsom ; and at the same time, a
translation of four of Pliny's Letters.

In 1712, he published Imo. a Letter against Popery,
written by Sophia Charlotte, late Queen of Prussia.
2do. Her Majesty's reasons for creating the Electoral
Prince of Hanover a Peer of that realm. 3t io. The Grand
Mystery laid open ; namely, by dividing the Protes-
tants, to weaken the Hanoverian Succession, <%c.

About the same tiirie, he published a new edition of
Cicero's works, an undertaking for which he was emi-
nently qualified. This work alone, is sufficient to trans-
mit Mr. Toland's name to posterity. It is extremely
scarce, he having printed only a few copies, at his own
charge, to serve his particular friends.

In 1713, he published "An Appeal to Honest Peo-
ple, against wicked Priests," <%c. : And much about
the same time, a pamphlet on the necessity of de-
molishing Dunkirk,,

In 1714, he published a pamphlet relative to the res-
toration of Charles the lid. by General Monk ; also, a
collection of letters, written by the General relating ta
the same subject.

The same year, he published the Funeral Elogy of
her royal highness, the late Princess Sophia, &c. ; and
much about the same time, " Reaspns for naturalizing
the Jews in Great Britain," «%c. This he dedicated ra-

ther ironically, to the Archbishops and Bishops of both
Provinces,

In 1717, he published the State Anatomy of Great
Britain. This was answered by Dr. Fiddes, chaplain
to the Earl of Oxford, and by Daniel De Foe. In reply,
Mr. Toland published the second part of the State
Anatomy.

In 1717, he published Nazarewiis. In this treatise,
according to Mr. Toland, the original plan of Chris-
tianity was this : " that the Jews, though associating
with the converted Gentiles, and acknowledging them
for brethren, were still to observe their own laws ; and
that the Gentiles, who became so far Jews as to ac-
knowledge one God, were not, however, to observe
the Jewish law : but, that both of them were to be e-
ver after, united into one body or fellowship, in that
part of Christianity particularly, which, better than all
the preparative purgations of the philosophers, requires
the sanctification of the Spirit, and the renova-
tion of the inward man ; and wherein alone, the Jew
and the Gentile; the Civilized and and the Barbarian;
the Free-man and the Bond-slave, are all in oneCkrist,
however differing in other circumstances." This trea-
tise was animadverted on, by Messrs. Jllangei/ and
Paterson ; and by Dr. Brett.

This year, he also edited a pamphlet, called the
Destiny of Ifome; or, the speedy and final destruction

of the Pope, founded partly on natural and political
reasons, and partly on the^famous prophecy of St. Ma-
lachy, Archbishop of Armagh, in the thirteenth
century, <§<?.

In the beginning of 1720, Dr. Hare published the
fourth edition of , his Visitation Sermon ; and, ani-
madverted on Christianity not Mysterious ; asserting
that Mr. Toland often quoted Mr. Locke, to support
notions he never dreamed of. As this assertion was
totally groundless, the doctor had Mr. Locke, and Mr.
Toland on his back at once. Finding his ground un-
tenable, he published the following advertisement in
Daily Courant.

" Just published, the fourth Edition of

" The Dean of Worcester's Visitation Sermon. In
" the Postscript, line nintk from the end, instead of, is
" often quoted, read, makes great use of Mr, Locke's
" principles.

« London, Feb. 1st. 1720."

Thus the reverend doctor had the contemptible
meanness to shelter a bare-faced falsehood, under the
subterfuge of a typographical error.

This pitiful conduct of Dr. Hare, produced from
Mr.Toland, a pamphlet, entitled « Short Essay on the
Art of Lying; or, a Defence of a Reverend Dignitary,

who suffers under the Persecution of Mr. ToLAND/or a
LAPSUS CALAMI.

About this time, he published Pantheisticon ; sive
formula celebrandce Sodalitatis Socraticce, &c. Some
of his enemies pretended this tract was written to ri-
dicule the Romish, and Episcopal Liturgies ; and, as
it was made up of Responses, Lessons, a Philosophical
Canon, and aLitany ; and, the whole written both in red
and black ink, their opinion is perhaps well founded.
Mr. Toland was, at all times, a rigid advocate for the
primitive apostolic simplicity of the Christian religion.
This tract, ihstead of being a proof of our author's
heterodoxy, is so far the reverse, that had John Knox
been alive, I am persuaded, he would have thanked
him for it. To this treatise, he prefixed the name of
Janus Junlus Eoganesius, which, though it was his
real Christian name, and the name of his country, was
as good a disguise as he could have invented.

A Bill having been introduced into the House of
Lords, ' to make the parliament of Ireland more de-
pendent on that of Great Britain, Mr. Toland wrote a
Treatise in opposition to that measure.

Some time after, he published a book, entitled Te-
Iradymus: containing Imo. Hodegus ; or, the Pillar of
cloud and fire that guided the Israelites in the wilder-
ness, not miraculous, §c. <2do. Ctydophorus ; or
the Exoteric and Esoteric Philosophy of the antients,

8$c. 3tio. Hypatia ; or, the History of a most
beautiful, most virtuous, most learned, and every way
accomplished young Lady, who was torn to pieces by
the clergy of Alexandria, to gratify the pride, emula-
tion and cruelty of their Archbishop Cyril, commonly,
but, undeservedly styled St. Cyril &to. Man-
goncutes ; or, a Defence of Nazarenus, addressed to
the right Rev. John Lord, Bishop of London, against
his Lordship's Chaplin Dr. Mangey, his dedicator Mr.
Paterson, and the Rev. Dr. Brett, once belonging to
his Lordship's church.

In this last Address to the Bishop of London, Mr.
Toland, states the injurious treatment he had received
from Dr. Hare at considerable length ; and, concludes
with the following account of his own conduct, and
sentiments : " Notwithstanding, says he, the imputa-
tions of Heresy and Infidelity, so often published by
the clergy, as lately, in the vauntingest manner, by
one not unknown to you ; the whifling and the igno-
rant, being ever the most arrogant and confident, I as-
sure your Lordship, that the purity of religion, and
the prosperity of the state have ever been my chiefest
aim. Civil liberty, and religious toleration, as the
most desirable things in this world ; the most condu-
cing to peace, plenty, knowledge, and every kind of
happiness, have been the two main objects of all my
writings. But, as by liberty, I did not mean licenti-
ousness ; so by toleration, I did not mean indifference.

and much less an approbation of every religion I could
suffer. To be more particular, I 'solemnly profess to
your Lordship, that the religion taught by Jesus Christ
and his Apostles, but not as since corrupted by the sub-
tractions, additions, and other alterations of any pa**
ticular man, or company of men, is that which I in-
finitely prefer before all others. I do over and over ai-
gain, repeat Christ and his Apostles, exclusive of either
oral traditions, or the determinations of synods, adding
what I declared before to the world, that religion as it
came from their hands, was no less plain and pure,
than useful and instructive ; and that, as being the busi-
ness of every man, it was equally understood by every
body. For, Christ did not institute one Religion for
the learned and another for the vulgar," <|c.

In 1721, Dr. Hare published a Book, entitled "Scrip-
ture Truth vindicated ; from the misrepresentations of
the Lord Bishop of Bangor," <%c. ; and, in the Preface,
takes occasion to observe, that none are prevented from
settling in Carolina, but down-right Atheists, such as
Mr.Toland ; and most unjustly asserts, that in some
copies of the Pantheisticon, he inserted a prayer to the
following effect : Omnipotens et sempiterne Bacche ;
gui humanam societatem maxime in bibendo constituisti ;
concede propitius, ut istorum capita, qui he sterna com-
potatione gravantur, hodierna leventur ; idque fiat per
pocula poculorum. Amen. i. e. " Omnipotent and e-
verlasting Bacchus, who foundedst human society

principally by drinking, propitiously grant, that, the
heads of those, which are made heavy by yesterday's
drinking, may be lightened by this day's, and that by
bumper after bumper. Amen."

M. Maizeuz> a Frenchman, and Mr. Toland's bio-
grapher assures us, that Mr. Toland never dreamed of
such a matter. He assures us, that he knows the
author, but forbears to mention him, on account of his
profession. Indeed, there can hardly be a doubt, that
Dr. Hare himself was the author.

The same year, Mr. Toland published Letters from
the Earl of Shaftesbury to the Lord Viscount Moles-
worth ; as also, two Letters written by Sir George
Cropsley.

Mr. Toland had these four years past lived at Putney,
whence he could conveniently go to London, and re-
turn the same day. Being in town about the middle
of December, he found himself very ill, and an ignorant
physician, by his improper prescriptions, very much in-
creased his disorder. But, he made a shift to return
to Putney, where he grew better, and entertained
some hopes of recovery. In the interval, he wrote two
'Treatises ; the one, entitled, Physic without Physicans ;
and the other, The Danger of mercenary Parliaments.
This last, he did not live to finish ; for, he died on
Sunday the llth March, 1722, attout four o'clock in
the morning. He behaved himself throughout the

whole course of his sickness, with the greatest calm-
ness and fortitude ; and, looked on death without the
least perturbation of mind ; biding farewell to those
about him, and telling them, he was going to fall a-
sleep.
A few days before his death, he composed the following

EPITAPH :

H. S. E.

JOANNES TOLANDUS,
Qui, in Hibernia prope Deriam natus,

In Scotia et Hibernia Studuit,
Quod Oxonii quoque fecit Adolescens ;

Alque Germania plus semel petita,
Virilem circa Londinum trans egit cetatem.

Omnium Literarum excultor

Ac Linguarum plus decem Sciens.

Veritatis Propugnator

Liber tatis Assertor:

Nullius autem Spectator, aid Cliens-,

Nee minis, nee malis est injlexus,

Quin, quam elegit, viam perageret,

Utili honestum antefcrens.

Spiritus cum JEthereo Patre,

A Quo prodiit olim, conjungitur :

Corpus Hem naturae cedens,
In Materno grcemio reponitur.
Ipse vero ceternum est resurrecturus9
At Idem futurus TOLANDUS nunquam.
Natus Nov. 30. 167O.

G&tera ex Scriptis pete,
E

TRANSLATION.

" Here lies JOHN TOLAND, born in Ireland, near
" Londonderry, who in his youth studied in Scotland,
<e Ireland, and at Oxford ; and, having repeatedly vi-
" sited Germany, spent his mahhood about London.
*•' He was ^cultivator of every kind of Learning ; and
" skilled in more than ten languages : the champion
" of Truth, and the assertov of Liberty, but the fol-
" lower or client of none ; nor was he ever swayed
" either by menaces or misfortunes, from pursuing the
" path, which he chalked out to himself, uniformly
" preferring his integrity to his interest. His Spirit
" is re-united to his heavenly Father, xfrom whom it
" formerly proceeded ; his Body yielding to Nature,
u is also re-placed in the Bosom of the Earth. He
" himself will undoubtedly arise to Eternal Life, but
" will never be the same Toland. Born 3Oth No-
rt vember, 1670. Seek the rest from his Writings."

Mr. Toland's belief, that he will never be the same
Toland after the resurrection, is not heterodox, though
his enemies have not failed to represent it in this light,
The gospel uniformly declares, that a considerable
change will take place in the human body at the re-
surrection ; and, that we shall all be changed. Mr.
Toland must therefore not be considered as here de-
nying his absolute future Identity, but merely as allud-
ing to that partial change whicn the Scriptures s*
clearly point out.

Hitherto, I have almost implicity followed M.
Maizeuz ; and, as far as the nature of this Abstract
would admit, have a/lopted his own words, being well
aware, that by so doing, no body will accuse me of
partiality to Mr.Toland. M. Maizeuz was a French-
man, a friend to Popery and arbitrary power, — he did
not undertake our Author's Biography voluntarily,
nor from any motive of respect. On the contrary, when
requested by a friend of our author's, (who was at the
same time the Frenchman's benefactor,) to undertake
the task, he positively declined it. A second request
more peremptory than the first had the desired effect.
M. Maizeuz has not in one single instance, made the
slighest allusion to the complexion of the times in
which Mr.Toland lived, without a knowledge of which,
it is impossible duely to appreciate either his princi-
ples, or the scope of his writings. He seems, however,
to have been under great obligations to his benefactor,
and knowing him to be a friend of our deceased au-
thor, was obliged to confine himself to matters of fact.
But, what will place the conduct of M. Maizeuz in a
very unfavourable point of view, is, that when Mr. To-
land's works were printed at London, in 1726. M.
Maizeuz not only with-held his own name from his
life, but also, that of the gentleman, at whose request
it was written.

This gentleman, having been guilty of these unpar-
donable omissions, I shall endeavour, as concisely as
possible, to remedy the defect, and shall .principally

confine myself to Mr.Toland's Christianity not Mysteri-
ous, which has made so much noise in the world.

Previous to the Reformation, the infallibility of the
Pope, in spiritual ; and, the divine right of Kings in
temporal matters, were carried to the very highest
pitch, and the servile, ignorant and debased state, to
wliich mankind were reduced, by the operation of these
abominable doctrines, is too well known to need any
comment. At the dawn of the Reformation, a better
prder of things began. The Scriptures were read and
studied, and the monstrous impositions, for more than
ten centuries, practised on mankind clearly displayed.
Neither the infallibility of the Pope, nor the divine
right of Kings, could stand the criterion either of rea-
son, or Revelation ; and, both were discarded. After
a long struggle, during more than a century and a
half, our civil and religious liberties were effectually
secured, by the. glorious Revolution. That the Whig
interest placed King William on the throne ; and,- that
the Tory -party, to a man, were attached to the cause
of the abdicated Monarch, are facts that can admit of
no dispute. From the date of the Revolution, the
Torys, as far as regarded state affairs, were obliged to
alter their tone. To have declaimed in support of the
Indefeasible, Hereditary right of Kings, would have
been a direct insult to King William, who had en-
croached on this right, and might have been construed
high-treason. The Toleration Act secured all deno-
minations in the free exercise of their religion. This

v/as another source of discontent to the Torys, who
had uniformly aimed at religious and exclusive supre-
macy.

That the Torys thwarted King William's measures,
meditated the restoration of the abdicated Monarch ;
and, shook the stability of the Protestant succession,
for more than half a century, needs ne demonstration.
Their absurd tenets, respecting civil and religious ty*-
ranny were founded on a perversion of the Sacred Re-
cords. With the exception of the Whig-party, all
ranks of mankind were kept in profound ignorance of
the Divine Writings, under pretence of mystery and un-
intelligibility. By these means, the bulk of mankind
were blindly led, without using their senses, or their.
reason.

To drive arbitrary power from this last resource,
Mr. Toland wrote CHRISTIANITY NOT MYSTERIOUS.
In this Treatise he clearly proves, that man's reason
was not given him, in order to lie dormant. That if
he wasallo wed to judge for himself in the ordinary occur-
rences of life ; and respecting the Phenomena of Na-
ture, he cannot be denied the same privilege, as far as
respects matters of Religion, and the principles of
Christanity. Mr. Toland was well aware, that if he
could once induce mankind to read the Scriptures with
impartial attention, no man's interpretation on earth
could mislead them.

However convenient this mode of conduct might be

for the interests of true religion, it was in fact, a death
blow to Popery, which had reared its monstrous fab-
ric on ignorance, mystery and superstition. The gos-
pel was by the Popish priests, as carefully kept from
the vulgar, as if it had contained the antidote, instead
of the means of their salvation. When Mr. Toland
wrote, not one-fourth of the population of the British
empire were allowed to read the Scriptures ; and, even
at the present day, nearly five millions are denied this
important privilege.

Had Christianity been so intricate and mysterious,
as designing and interested men have represented it>
certainly the twelve Apostles were very ill calculated
to propagate the Gospel. In many Popish countries,
not one of them would have been considered qualified
to read or explain a single verse of it. That the con-
duct of Christ, and of his pretended Vicegerents, has
been widely different, I readily admit, but, the simple
question is this, " Whether Christ was, or was not,
best qualified to judge of the nature of the Christian
System, and the instruments best calculated to pro-
mote it ?"

When we have duly weighed Mr. Toland's definition
of the word Mystery ; CHRISTIANITY NOT MYSTERI-
OUS, means no more, than, Christianity intelligible to all
Christians. This was certainly sappjng the very foun-
dations of Papal and Tyrannical Poicer, by asserting
that every Christian had a ri^t to read and under-

stand the Gospel, That the Treatise was considered
by the adherents of the abdicated Monarch, as having
this tendency, is evident from this circumstance, that
Mr. Toland's antagonists, were to a man, advocates for
arbitrary power ; and, religious intolerance. The
Church of Scotland, has at all times been forward to
stem the torrent of impiety and irreligion ; but, it is
not known that any one of that venerable Body , ever ob-
jected to Mr. Toland's Orthodoxy ; a circumstance
which could not have happened, had his writings been
hostile to true religion. On this head, I shall only
add, that the same party which persecuted Mr. To-
land, would have treated King William, and the
CHURCH OF SCOTLAND with as little ceremony, had
they stood as unprotected as the illustrious Subject of
these Memoirs.

Mr. Toland's Amyntor, and his Panthcisticon, have
been already taken- notice of. The first, proved that
King Charles was not the author of Icon Basilike ;
and the last, is supposed to contain a sarcastical allu-
sion to the Romish and Episcopal Liturgies ; — The
torrent of abuse consequently poured on him, by the
Torys, is no more than might have been naturally
anticipated.

His Biographer has descended so low, as to inform
us, that Mr. Toland was sometimes under pecuniary
difficulties, and as running in debt for his Wigs, <%<".
But. as this was a charge of the same nature, with his

Deism, Atheism, Mahometanism, Pantheism, Illegiti-
macy, c%c. I shall not detain the Reader with a confu-
tation of it.

Mr. TOLAND's CHARACTER.

It is difficult* to determine in what department of
Literature this great man most excelled. He seems
to have been a kind of universal genius. — In contro-
versy he was irresistible; and, at the very moment when
his adversaries thought they had confuted him, they
found they had only furnished materials for their own
degradation. — He was skilled in more than ten Lan-
guages, and the Celtic was his native tongue. — Educat-
ed in the grossest superstition of Popery, at the early
age of sixteen, he became a Convert to Presbyterianism,
and remained steadily attached to it, till the hour of his
death.— Popery, Prelacy, and arbitary Power he utter-
ly detested ; and, on every occasion, resisted them to
to the utmost of his power.— —To the Revolution in
1689, he was a warm and steady friend. — Real and un-
affected piety, and the Church of Scotland, which he
thought bore the greatest resemblance to the primitive
simplicity of the Apostlic times, always found in him,
an able, and inflexible advocate. — Though his pen was
his estate, yet he never prostituted it to serve the inter-
est of his party, at the expence of truth. — There was
interwoven with his whole frame, a high degree of stub-
bom and inexorable integrity, which totally unfitted
fcim for the tool of a party ; aud, like poor YorkJs, he

invariably called things by their right names, regard-
less of the consequences.- — There was not in his whole
composition, one single grain of that useful quality
which Swift calls modern discretion. Like an impreg-
nable rock in the midst of the tempestuous ocean, he
stood immoveable, against all his assailants ; and, his
calm, dignified answers, in reply to their most vim-
lent and unmerited calumnies, equally characterize the
Hero, the Philosopher, and the Christian. — To his trans-
cendant literary abilities even the most inveterate of
his enemies have paid the most ample tribute of re-
spect.— His Latin compositions, in point of classical
purity, have not been excelled, even by Cicero him-
self. To him the Celtic tribes are highly indebted for
that unequalled production, the HISTORY OF THE
DRUIDS. — Pinkerton, as often as his Gothic Manlaled
him to controvert any of Toland's positions, respecting
the Druids and Celts, is obliged to shrink from the con-
test.— Dr. Smith with a non-candour, for which, even
his best friends must blush, has borrowed the whole of
Toland's materials, for his History of the Druids ; not
only without making any acknowledgement, but, with
a studied and deliberate design to conceal the pla-
giarism. Wherever Mr. Toland enters into detail, Dr.
Smith is concise ; and, wherever Mr. Toland is concise,
Dr. Smith enters into detail. The important history
of Abaris, the Hyperborean Priest of the Sun, is dis-
missed by Dr. Smith in a few words ; whereas, in Mr.
Toland's history, it takes up several pages.— — -In the

space Of twenty-five years, Mr. Toland published about
one hundred different works ; some of them on the
most intricate subjects; but, the far greater part, on con-
troversial matters, in opposition to those, who wished to
restore the abdicated Monarch, and re-establish arbitra-
ry power, and religious intolerance. As it was the first,
so it was the last effort of his pen, to render Civil Govern-
ment consistent with the mialienable rights of mankind;
and, to reduce Christianity to that pure, simple, andun-
pompous system, which Christ and his Apostles e-
stablished. It has often been objected to John Kuox>
as well as Mr. Toland, that he was a stubborn, ill-
bred fellow. But, when the Augcean Stable of Civil
and Religious corruptions is to be cleansed, the Her-
culean labour, requires Herculean instruments. Per-
haps the delicacy and refinement of the present day,
might have shrunk from the arduous task, and left the
desireable work not only unfinished, but unattempted.
Toland's fame has triumphed over all opposition ; and>v
will be transmitted to the latest posterity. That very
party which branded him, when alive, with the Epithets
of Atheist, Infidel, Deist, Mahometan^ &c. h-ave now
discovered, that he was only tinctured with Socinian-
ism ; and, in less than fifty years, the same party will
discover* that he was a rigid Presbyterian, — peace to

his Manes. It were ardently to be wished, that the

British Empire, in all great and critical emergencies,
may possess many Christians, like JOHN TOLAND.

THE FIRST

LETTER,

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD
VISCOUNT MOLESWORTH.

men, my Lord, from a natural greatness of
soul, and others from a sense of the want of learning
in themselves, or the advantages of it in others, have
many times liberally contributed towards the ad-
vancement of letters. But when they, whose ex-
cellent natural parts are richly cultivated by sound
literature, undertake the protection of the Muses, wri-
ters feel a double encouragement ; both as they are hap-
pily enabled to perfect their studies, and as their Pa-
trons are true judges of their performances. 'Tis from
this consideration alone (abstracted, My Lord, from all
that you have already done, or may hereafter deserve
from your country, by an unshaken love of liberty) that
I presume to acquaint your Lordship with a design,
which I form'd several years ago at Oxford, and which
I have ever since kept in view ; collecting, as occasion
presented, whatever might any way tend to the advan-
tage or perfection of it. 'Tis to write the History of
the Druids, containing an account of the ancient Cel-
tic Religion and Literature ; and concerning which I
beg your patience for a little while. Tho' this be a

44 THE HISTORY

subject, that will be naturally entertaining to the curi-
ous in every place ; yet it does more particularly con-
cern the inhabitants of antient Gaule, (now France,
Flanders, the Alpine regions, and Lombardy) and of
all the British Islands, whose antiquities are here part-
ly explain'd and illustrated, partly vindicated and re-
stor'd. It wrill sound somewhat oddly, at first hear-
ing, that a man born in the most northern (1) Peninsula

(1) This peninsula is Jnis-Eogain, vulgarly Enis-owen,
in whose Isthmus stands the city of Londonderry, itself a
peninsula, and, if the tradition be true, originally a famous
Grove and School of the Druids. Hence comes the very
name Doire, corruptly pronounced Derry, which in Irish
signifies a Grove, particularly of Oaks. The great COLUM-
EA changed it into a College for Monks (\vho in his time
were retir'd Laymen, that lived by the labour of their
hands) as most commonly the sacred places of the Hea-
thens, if pleasant or commodious, were converted to the
like use by the Christians after their own manner. This
Derry is the Roboreturn or * Campus roborum, mentioned by
BEDE in his Ecclesiastical History : but not Ardmacha, novtr
Armagh, in the same province of Ulster, as many have
erroneously conceived ; nor ye^ Durramh, now Durrough,
irt that of Leinster, as some have no less groundlesly fan-
cied, among whom Archbishop U^IIER. Dearmack is com-
pounded of Dair an oak and the anr.ient word Much (now
Machaire) a field. They who did not know so much, have
imagined it from the mere sound to be Armagh, which, far
from Campus roborum, signifies the height >rmount of MACH A,
(surnamed Mongruadh or redhair'd) a Queen of Ireland, and
the only woman that ever sway'd the sovereign sceptre of
that kingdom. But Armagh never was a monastery found-
ed by COLUMBA, who in BEDE'S time was called f Co-
XiUiM-ciLLE, as he's by the Irish to tins day: whereas it
was from the monasteries of Dcrry and 1-colmkill (which

1 Fecerat antem (CoLtTMBA) priiis quam in Britanniam venirot mn^ast?H',)m no!)i'-»
in Hibcrnia, quod a copia roborum Dcarmach ling-ia S-'otorurn, hoc cst carr-.pus r»~
borum, vocatnr. Hist. Fc"lcs. lib. 3. cap. 4.

t Qni, videlicet COT.UMBA, mine a nonnullis, rnTinjosito a €<•"<*$• C
COLIT»ICEI.I.I vocatar. Ibid. lib. 5 c»n. 1«>. *

OF THE DRUIDS. 4 ;

of Ireland, shou'd undertake to set the antiquities
of Gaule in a clearer light than any one has hitherto
done. But when 'tis consider'd, that, over and u-
bove what he knows in common, relating to tlie Druids,
with the learned of the French nation, (whose works
he constantly reads with uncommon esteem) he has
also certain other advantages, which none of those
writers have ever had : when this, I say, is consider'd,
then all the wonder about this affair will instantly ce'ase.
Yet let it be still remember'd, that whatever accom-
plishment may consist in the knowledge of languages,
no language is really valuable, but as far as it serves
to converse with the living, or to learn from the dead ;
and therefore were that knowledge of times and things
contain'd in Lapponian, which we draw from the Greec,
and that this last were as barren as the first : I shou'd
then study Lapponian, and neglect Greec ; for all its
superiority over most tongues, in respect of sonorous
pronunciation, copiousness of words, and variety of ex-
pression. But as the profound ignorance and slavery of
the present Greecs does not hinder, but that their an-
cestors were the most learned, polite, and free of all
European nations ; so no revolution that has befallen
any or all of the Celtic colonies, can be a just preju-

last, though the second erected, became the first in digni-
ty) that ail the other monasteries dedicated to COLT. MB A,
whether in Scotland or Ireland, were so many rolcnies.
This is attested by the just mentioned + BLDE. nolesst'infc
by ali the Irish Annalists since their several foundations.

$ Fx quo utrocjue nvona^teno perplurima exinde monasteria, per aiscipalos <•* ;•»,
A. la Britannia & ia Hibornia propajrala sunt : in qtiibus onimlms idem mon&i'-.?
ilun! insulanum, ia quo ipsf ivqniesrit torpoiv. prim iwitum t?r.ot. Ihia. Hit. $ ca:>. •* >

46 THE HISTORY

dice against the truly antient and undoubted monu-
ments they may be able to furnish, towards improving1
or restoring any point of Learning. Whether there be
any such monuments or not, and how far useful or
agreeable, will in the following sheets appear.

II. Among those institutions which are thought te
be irrecoverably lost, one is that of the Druids ; of
which the learned have hitherto known nothing, but
by some fragments concerning them out of the Greec
and Roman authors. Nor are such fragments always
Intelligible, because never explain'd by any of those,
who were skill'd in the Celtic dialects, which are now
principally six ; namely Welsh or the insular British,
Cornish almost extinct, Armorican or French British,
Irish the least corrupted, Manks or the language
of the Isle of Man ; and Eqrse or Highland Irish,
spoken also in all the western Hands of Scotland.
These, having severally their own dialects, are, with
respect to each other and the old Celtic of Gaule, as the
several dialects of the German language and Low
Dutch, the Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Islandic ;
which are all descendants of their common mother,
the Gothic. Not that ever such a thing as a pure Go-
thic or Celtic language either did or cou'd exist in any
considerable region without dialects, no more than pure
elements: but by such an original language is meant
the common ro^t and trunk, the primitive words, and
especially the peculiar, construction that runs thro*
all the branches ; whereby they are intelligible to each
other, or may easily become so, but different from aU

OF THE DRUIDS. 47

kinds of speech besides. Thus the Celtic and the Gothic,
which have been often taken for each other, are as dif-
frent as Latin and Arabic. In like manner we con-
ceive of the several idioms of the Greec language for-
merly, in Greece itself properly so call'd, in Mace-
donia, in Crete and the Hands of the Archipelago, in
Asia, Rhodes, part of Italy, in Sicily, and Marseilles ;
and at this time of the Sclavonian language, whose
dialects not only prevail in Russia, Poland, Bohemia,
Carinthia, and Sei via, but in a great many other places,
too tedious to recite. But of this subject we shall
treat professedly in a (2) Dissertation, to be annex'd
to the work, whereof I am giving your lordship an ac-
count. Neither shall I in this Specimen dwell on some
things, whereof I shall principally and largely treat in
the designed History ; I mean the Philosophy of the
Druids concerning the Gods, human Souls, Nature in
general, and in particular the heavenly Bodies, their
magnitudes, motions, distances, and duration ; where-
of CJ:SAR,DIODORUS SICULUS, STRABO, POMPONIUS ME-
LA, and AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS write more specially
than others. These subje.cts, I say, will be copiously
handled and commented in my History. In the mean
time I do assure you, My Lord, from all authors, that
no Heathen Priesthood ever came up to the perfection
of the Druidical, which was far more exquisite than
any other such system ; as having been much better
calculated to beget ignorance, and an implicit disposir

(2) A DISSERTATION concerning the Celtic Language
ami

43 THE HISTORY

lion in the people, no less than to procure power and
profit to the priests, which is one grand difference be-
tween the true worship and the false. This Western
Priesthood did infinitely exceed that of ZOROASTER,
and all the Eastern sacred policy : so that, the His-
tory of the Druids, in short, is, the complete History of
Priestcraft, with all its reasons and ressorts ; which to
distinguish accurately from right religion, is not only
the interest of all wise princes and states, but likewise
does especially concern the tranquillity and happiness
of every private person. I have used the word Priest-
craft here on purpose, not merely as being the best ex-
pression for the designed abuse, and reverse of religion,
(for superstition is only religion misunderstood) but al-
so because the coming of the very word was occasion-
ed by the DRUIDS : since the Anglo-Saxons having
learnt the word Dry (3) from the Irish and Britons
for a Magician, did very appositely call Magic or In-
chantment Drycrceft (4>) ; as being nothing* else but
trick and illusion, the fourbery of . Priests and their
confederates.

III. Now, this Institution of the Druids I think
myself, without any consciousness of vanity, much
abler to retrieve (as having infinitely better helps in
many respects, of which, before I have done) than Dr.
HYDE was to restore the knowledge of the ancient
Persian Literature and Religion ; which yet he left
imperfect for want of due encouragement, as I have

(3) Pronounced as Dree in English.
(V- Dry magus, Dnjcrwjt incantaUo, JElJric. in Glossar,

OF THE DRUIDS. 49

shown in the first chapter of Nazarenus. From un-
doubted Celtic monuments, join'd to the Greec and
Roman remains, I can display the order of their Hier-
archy, from the ARCH-DRUID down to the meanest of
their four orders of Priests. Of these degrees, the
ARCH-DRUID excepted, there's little to be found in the
Classic authors, that treat of the Druids : but very
much and very particularly, in the Celtic writings and
monuments. For many reasons their History is most
interesting and entertaining : I mean, as on the one
hand we consider them seducing their followers, and
as on the other hand we learn not to be so deceiv'd.
They dextrously led the people blindfold, by commit-
ting no part of their Theology or Philosophy to writ-
ing, tho' great writers in other respects ; but their
dictates were only hereditarily convey'd from masters
to disciples by traditionary Poems, interpretable (con-
sequently) and alterable as they shou'd see convenient :
which is a much more effectual way, than locking up a
book from the Laity, that, one way or other, is sure to
come first or last to their knowledge, and easy perhaps
to be turn'd against the Priests. The Druids, as may
be seen in the 6th book of CESAR'S Commentaries, ,
drew the decision of all controversies of Law and
Equity to them selves, the distribution of all punish-
ments and rewards ; from the power that was first
given, or afterwards assumed by them, of determining
matters of Ceremony and Religion. Most terrible
were the effects of the Drnidical (5) Excommunication

(5) If the learned reader, who knows any of the passages,
or the unlearned reader who wants authorities for proving

THE HISTORY

on any man, that did not impliciny follow their di-
rections, and submit to their decrees : not only to the
excluding of private persons from all benefits of society,
and even from society itself ; but also to the depos-
ing1 of the princes who did not please them, and often
devoting them to destruction. Nor less intolerable
was their power of engaging the nation in war, or of
making a disadvantageous and dishonourable peace ;
while they Kad, the address to get themselves ex-
empted from bearing arms, paying taxes, or contribut-
ing any thing to the public but charms : and yet to
have their persons reputed sacred and inviolable, by
those even of the contrary side,, which veneration how-
eve.r was not always strictly paid. These privileges
allur'd great numbers to enter into their communities,
for such Sodalities or Fraternities they had ; and to
take an them the EXruidical profession., to be per-
fect in which, did sometimes cost them twenty years
study. Nor ought this to seem a wonder, since to ar-
rive at perfection in Sophistry requires a long habit, as
well as in juggjing, in which last they were very ex-

tbe following assertions, should wonder I do not always cite
them; let it be known to bath, that as in this Specimen I
commonly touch but the heads of things (and not of all
things neither) so I would not crowd the margin with long
passages, nor yet. curtail what in my History shall be pro-
duced at large: and therefore all the folio wing citations (the
original manner of writing Celtic words excepted) are ei-
ther samples of the quotations I shall give, or proofs of what
I would not for a moment have suspected to be precarious-
ly advanced, or, finally, for the better understanding of
certain matters which come in by way of digression or il-
lustration. Otherwise they wou'd not be necessary in a
mere Specimen,, though in a finished work indispensable.

OF -THE DRUIDS. £1

pert : but to be masters of both, and withal to learn
the art of managing the mob, which is vulgarly call-
ed hading the people by the nose', demands abundant
study and exercise.

IV. The children of the several kings, with those of
all the nobility, were committed to the tuition of the
Druids, whereby they had an opportunity (contrary
to all good politics) of moulding and framing them to
their own private interests and purposes ; considering
which direction of Education, Patr-ic, had they been a
landed clergy, wou'd not have found the conversion of
Ireland so easy a task. Soeasyindeeditwas, thatthellea-
then monarch Laogiriiis (who, as some assert, was ne-
ver himself converted) and all the provincial kings,
granted to every man free liberty of preaching and
professing Christianity. So that, as Giraldus Cam-
brensis remarks, this is the only country of Christians,
where nobody was obliged to suffer (6) Martyrdom for
the gospel. This justice therefore I wou'd do to Ire- '
land, even if it had not been rny country, viz. to main-
tain that this tolerating principle, this impartial liber-
ty (ever since unexampled there as well as elsewhere,
China excepted) is a far greater honour to it, than
whatever thing .most glorious or magnificent can be

(6) Omnes sancti terrue isiius cpnfessorcs mnt, § nullus
martyr ; quod in alio regno Christiana .difficile erit invenire.
'Mir um itaque quod ge ns crudeUssima cV sanguinis sitibunda*
fides ab antique fundata $ semper tepiditsima, pro Christi
'ecclesia corona 'martyrii nulla. Non igitur inventus est in
partibus istis, qui eccletiae surgcntis fundamenta sanguints
effusioJte cementaret : uon fuit, qni faceret hocbonum; no ft
juit usque ad unum. Topograph. Jtlibern. Distinct, S, cap. 2»,

52 THE HISTORY

said of any other country in the world. Girald an the
contrary (as in his days they were wont to over-rate
Martyrdom, Celibacy, and the like, much above the
positive duties of religion) thinks it a reproach to the
Irish, That none of their Saints cemented the founda-
tions of the growing Church with their blood, all of them
being Confessors, (says he,) and not one able to boast of the
crown of Martyrdom. But who sees not the vanity
and absurdity of this charge ? It is blaming the princes
and people for their reasonableness, moderation and
humanity ; as it is taxing the new Converts for not
seditiously provoking them to persecute, and for not
madly running themselves to a voluntary death, which
was the unjustifiable conduct of many elsewhere in the
primitive times of Christianity. ?Tis on much better
grounds, tho' with a childish and nauseous jingle,
that he accuses the Irish Clergy of his own time : and
so far ran I from being an enemy to the clergy, that
I heartily wish the like could not be said of any clergy,
whether there, or here, or elsewhere, from that time td
this. Well then : what is it ? They are Pastors, (says
he) (7), who seek not to feed, but to be fed : Pr elates 9
who desire not to profit, but to preside : Bishops, who
embrace not the nature, but the name ; not the burden,
out the bravery of their profession. This, My Lord, I
reckon to be no digression from my subject, since .what
little opposition there happened to be in Ireland to

(7) Sunt enim pastores, qui non pascfrre qnaerrmt> fed p/i-
sci : sunt praclati, qui non prodesse cupiunt, sed prcressc :
sunt episcopi, qui non omen, sed nomen ; non onu?9 fed
Tern amplcctuntnr. Id. Ibid.

OF THE DRUIDS. 55

Christianity, was wholly made by the Druids, or at
their instignation : and that when they perceiv'd thi$
new religion like to prevail, none came into it speedier,
or made a more advantageous figure in it, than they,
The Irish however have their Martyrologies (lest this
shou'd be objected by some trifler) but they are of such
of their nation as suffered in other countries, or under
the Heathen Danes in their own country, some hund-
reds of years after the total conversion of it to Chris-
tianity.

V. Those advantages we have nam'd in the two last
Sections, and many the like articles, with the Druids
pretences to work miracles, to foretel events by
augury and otherwise, to have familiar intercourse
with the gods (highly confirm'd by calculating Ec-
lipses) and a thousand impostures of the same (8) na-
ture, I can by irrefragable authorities set in "such a
light, that all of the like kind may to every one ap-
pear in as evident a view ; which, as I hinted before,
cannot but be very serviceable both to religion and
morality. For true religion does not consist in cun-
ningly devis'd fables, in authority, dominion, or pomp ;
but in spirit and in truth, in simplicity and social vir-
tue, in a filial love and reverence, not in a servile dread
and terror of the Divinity. As the fundamental Law
of a Historian is, daring to say whatever is true, and

(8) The heads of the two last Sections, with these here
mentioned (though conceived in few words) will yet eack
make a separate chapter in the History ; this present Spe-
cimen being chiefly intended for modern instances, as by
the seqnel will appear.

THE HISTORY

not daring to write any falsehood ; neither being sway-
ed by love or hatred, nor gain'd by favour or interest :
go he ought of course to be as a man of no time or
country, of no sect or party ; which I hope the se-
veral nations concern'd in tlfis enquiry, will find to bt
particularly true of me. But if in clearing up antient
rites and customs, with the origin and institution of
certain religious or civil societies (long since extinct,)
any communities or orders of men, now in being, should
think themselves touched ; they ought not to impute
it to design in the author, but to the conformity of
tilings, if indeed there be any real resemblance : and,
In case there be none at all, they should not make
people apt to suspect there is, by crying out tho'
they are not hurt. I remember, when complaint was
made against an honourable person (9), that, in treat^
ing of the Heathen Priests^ he had whipt some
Christian Priests on their backs ; all the answer he
made, was only asking, What made them get up there?
The benefit of which answer I claim before-hand to
myself, without making or needing any other apology.
Yet if the correspondence of any Priests with heaven
be as slenderly grounded as that of the Druids, if their
miracles be as fictitious and fraudulent, if their love of
riches be as immoderate, if their thirst after power be as
insatiable, and their exercise of it be as partial and ty-
rannical over the Laity : then, I am not only content

they should be touched, whether I thought of them or

not ; but, that they shouldbe blasted too, without the pts-

(9) Sir ROBERT HOWARD.

OF THE DRUIDS.

sibility of ever sprouting up again. For truth will but
shine the brighter, the better its counterfeits are shewn :
and all that I can do to shew my candour, is to leave
the reader to^make such applications himself, seldom
making any for him ; since he that is neither clear-
sighted, nor quick enough of conception to do so, may
to as good purpose read the Fairy-tales as this history.

VI. Besides this impartial disposition, the com-
petent knowledge I have of the Northern languages,
dead and living (though I shall prove, that no Druids,
except such as towards their latter end fled thither for
refuge, or that went before with Celtic invaders or co-
lonies, were ever among the Gothic nations) I say,
these languages will not a little contribute to the per-
fection of my work, for a reason that may with moiftr
advantage appear in the book itself. But the know-
ledge of the ancient Irish, which I learnt from my
childhood, and of the other Celtic dialects, in all which
I frave printed books or manuscripts (not to speak of
their vulgar Traditions) is absolutely necessary ; these
having preserved numberless monuments concerning
the Druids, that never hitherto have come to the hands
of the learned. For as the Institutions of the Druids
were formerly better learnt in Britain, br CAESAR said
to be the native seat of this superstitious race, than in
Gaule where yet it exceedingly flourished : so their
memory is still best preserved in Ireland and the High-
lands of Scotland, comprehending the Helridce, Hebri-
des, or Western Isles, among which is the Isle of Man ;
where they continued long" after their extermination in

56 THE HISTORY

Gaulc and South-Britain, mostly by the Romans, but
finally by the introduction of Christianity. Besides,
that much of the Irish Heathen Mythology is still ex
tant in verse, which gives such a lustre to this matter,
and of course to the Greek and Roman Fragments
concerning the Druids, as could not possibly be had
any other way.

VII. Thus (togive an example in the Philological part)
the controversy among the Grammarians, whether they
should write Druis or (10) Druida in the nominative
case singular, can only be decided by the Irish writ-
ings, as you may see demonstrated in the margin^,
where all Grammatical remarks shall be inserted a-
mong the other Notes of the History, if they do not
properly belong to the annexed Dissertation concerning
ike Celtic Language and Colonies. This conduct I ob-
serve, to avoid any disagreeable stop or perplexity iij

(10) The Irish word for Druid is Drui, corruptly Droi,
and more corruptly Draoi; yet all of the same sound, which
in Etymologies is a great matter; and in the nominative
plural it is Dniidhe, whence comes no doubt the Greek
and Latin Druides; as Druis in the singular was formed by
only adding s to Drui, according to those nation's way of
terminating. But as these words in Irish as well as the
British Drudion, are common to both sexes; so the Romans,
according to iheir inflection, distinguished Druida for a
She-Druid (which sort are mentioned by authors) where-
of the nominative plural being Druidce^ it ought by us to
be used in that sense only: and so I conclude, that in on*
modern Latin compositions Druides and Druidce should
Dot be confounded ; as they have frequently been by the
Transcribers of old writings, who mislead others. We are
not to be moved therefore by reading Druidce in any Latin
Author in the masculine gender, or in the Greek writers,
\vho certainly used it so. All equivocation at least will be
thus taken away.

OF THF. DRUIDS

the work itself, by uncouth words or of difficult pro-
nunciation. For as every thing in the Universe is the
Subject of writing, so an author ought to treat of every
subject smoothly and correctly, as well as pertinently
and perspicuosly : nor ought he -to be void of ornament
and Elegance, where his matter peculiarly requires it
Some things want a copious stile, some a concise ; o-
thers to be more floridly, others .to be more plainly
handl'd : but all to be properly, methodically, and
handsomely exprest Neglecting these particulars, is
neglecting, and consequently affronting, the reader,
Let a Lady be as well-shap'd as you can fancy, let all
her features be faultless, and her complexion be ever
so delicate : yet if she be careless of her person, tawdry
in her dress, or aukward in her gate and behavior, a
man of true taste is so far from being touched with the
charms of her body, that he is immediately preposr:est
against the beauties of her mind ; and apt to believe
there can be no order within, where there is so much
disorder without In my opinion therefore, the Muses
themselves are never agreeable company without the
Graces. Or if, as your Lordship's stile is remarkabty
strong, you wou'd, with (11) CICERO, take this simile
from a man; you'll own 'tis not enough to make
him be lik'd, that he has' well-knit bones, nerves and
sinews : there must be likewise proportion, muscling,
and coloring, much blood, and some softness. To
relate facts without their circumstances, whereon de-
pends all instruction ; is to exhibit a skeleton without
the flesh, wherein consists all comeliness. This I say

f!l) DC Orator e, lib. 1.

5S THF HISTORY

to your Lordship, not pretending to teach the art of
writing to one, who's so fit to be my master ; but to
obviate the censures of those, and to censure 'em in
their turns, who not only do not treat of such subjects
as I have now undertaken in a flowing and continu'd
Stile, but peremtorily deny the fields of Antiquity and
Criticism to be capable of this culture : and indeed
as suffering under the drudgery of their hands, they
generally become barren heaths or impassable thickets;
where you are blinded with sand, or torn with bryars
and brambles. There's no choice of words or expres-
sions. All is low and vulgar, or obsolete and musty ;
as the whole discourse is crabbed, hobbling* and jejune.
Not that I wou'd have too much license taken in this
respect ; for though none ought to be slaves to any
set of words, yet great judgement is to be employed
in creating a new, or reviving an old word : nor must
there be less discretion in the use of figures and sen-
tences ; which, like embroidery and salt, are to set off
and season, but not to render the cloth invisible, or
the meat uneatable. To conclude this point, we are
told by the most eloquent of men, that a profuse (12)
volubility, and a sordid exility of words, are to be e-
qually avoided. And now after this digression, if any
thing that essentially relates to my task can be pro-
perly call'd one, I return to the Druids, who were so
prevalent in Ireland, that to this hour their ordinary
word for Magician is Druid (13), the art Magic, is

(12} CICERO de Oratore, lib. 1-
(13)

OF THE DRUIDS.

call'd Druid ity (14), and the wand, which was one of
the badges of their profession, the rod ofDruidlsm (15).
Among antient Classic authors Pliny is the most ex-
press concerning the Magic of the Druids, whereof
the old Irish and British books are full: which Leger-
demain, or secrets of natural Philosophy, as all magic
is either the one or the other, or both, we shall en-
deavour to lay open in our history of the Druids ; not
forgetting any old author that mentions them, for
there's something particular to be learnt in every one
of them, as they touch different circumstances. Hav-
ing occasionally spoken of the Wand or Staff which
every Druid carry'd in his hand, as one of the badges
of his profession, and which in a chapter on this sub-
ject will be shewn to have been a usual thing with
all pretenders to magic, I must here acquaint you
further, that each of 'em had what was commonly
call'd the Druid's Egg, which shall be explain'd in
the history, hung about his neck, inchas'd in gold.
They all wore short hair, while the rest of the natives had
theirs very long ; and, on the contrary, they wore long
beards, while other people shav'd all theirs, but the up-
per lip. They likewise air wore long habits; as did
the Bards and the Vaids : but the Druids had on a
white -surplice, whenever they religiously officiated. In
Ireland they, with the graduate Bards and Vaids, had
the privilege of wearing six colours in their Breacans
or robes, which were the striped Braccae of the Gauls,
still worn by the Highlanders, whereas the king and

(14) Druidheacht.

(15) Sfatnan Druidheachi,

THE HISTORY

queen might have in theirs but seven, lords and ladies
five, governors of fortresses four, officers and young
gentlemen of quality three, common soldiers two, and
common people one. This sumtuary law most of the
Irish historians say, was enackted under King (16)
AcJiaius the 1st. .; {ho1* others, who will have this to
be but the reviving of an old law, maintain it was first
established by king Tigernmhas.

VIIL As the Druids were commonly wont to re*
tire into grots, dark woods, mountains, and (17) groves,
in which last they had their numerous schools, not
without houses as some have foolishly dreamt, so
many such places in France, Britain, and Ireland, do
still bear their names : as Dreux* the place of their
annual general assembly in France ; Kerig-y-Drudi~
on, or Druid-stones,, a parish so call'd in Denbigh*
shire, from a couple of their altars there still remain-
ing. In Anglesey there is the village of Tre'r DriuY
the town of the Druid, next to which is Tre'r
Bcirdh or Bards-town : as also in another place of the
same island Mazn-y-Dnftt, that is, the Druid's stone ;
and Caer-Dreuiiiy or the city of the Druids, in Meri-
oneth-shire.. The places in Ireland and the Hebrides
are infinite. The present ignorant vulgar, in the first
of the last-men tion'd places, do believe, that those in-
dianters were at last themselves, inchanted by thek

(1(5) EOCHAID EUDGHATHACH.

(17) These Groves for pleasure and retirement, as well a*
i'«>r awe and reverence, were different from the lurking pla-
ces in forests and cayes, into vvbicli they were tbrc'd when
interdicted in Gaule and Britain,

OF TTIF DRUIDS.

Apostle Patric and his disciples, miraculously confin-
ing them to the places that so bear their names ;
where they are thought to retain much power, and
sometimes to appear, which are (18) fancies like the
English notionof Fairies. Thus theDru^d O Murnin in-
habits the hill of Creag-a-Vanny, in Inisoen ; Aunius
(19) in Benavny from him so call'd in the county of
Londonderry, and Gealcossa, (20) in Gealcossa's
mount in Inisoen aforesaid in the county of Dune-
gall. This last was a Druidess> and her name is of
the Homerical strain, signifying White-legged (21).
On this hill is her grave, the true inchantment which
confines her, and hard by is her temple ; being a sort
of diminutive Stone-henge, which many of the old
Irish dare not evjen at this day any way prophane. I
shall discover such tilings about these temples, where-
of multitudes are still existing, many of them entire,
in the Hebrides, in Orkney, and on the opposie Con-
tinent; as also many in Wales, in Jersey and Guernsey,
and some in England and Ireland, the most remarkable
to be accurately described and delineated in our history,
I shall discover such things, I say, about the famous
Egg of the Druids, to the learned hitherto a riddle, not
to speak of their magical gems and herbs : as also a-

(18) Such fancies came from the hiding of the persecut-
ed Dmids, from the reign of TIBERIUS, -who made the first
law against them (having been discountenanced by AU-
GUSTUS) but strictly put in execution by CLAUDIUS, and
the following Emperors, till their utter extirpation by the
general conversion of the people to Christianity.

(19) AlBHNE Or OlBHNE.

(20) GEALCHO^SACH.

Cnuc ?ia GEALCHOSSAIGHI

THE HISTORY

bout their favourite All-heal or (22) Misselto, gather'd
with so much ceremony by a Priest in his white Sur-
plice, as PLINY (23) tells us, and with a gold priming-
knife ; as well as about the abstrusest parts of their
Philosophy and Religion, that the like has not yet ap-
pear'd in any author, who has treated of them. The
books of such are either bare collections of fragments,
or a heap of precarious fables ; I mean especially some
French writers on this subject, as PICARD, FORCATU-
LUS, GUENEBAUT, with others of no better allay in Bri-
tain and Germany ; for as I admit nothing without
good authority, so I justly expect, that, without as
good, nothing will be admitted from me.

IX. But, My Lord, besides these Druids, the antient
Gauls, Britons, and Irish, had another order of learned
men, call'd Bards, whereof we shall sufficiently dis-
course in our propos'd work. Bard is still the Irish
and Scottish word, as Bardh the Armoric and British.
There's no difference 'in the pronunciation, tho',
according to their different manner of writing in ex-
pressing the power of the letters, they vary a little in
k the orthography (24). The Bards were divided into

(22) All these heads will be so many intire Chapters.

(23) Sacerdos, Candida vestc cultus, arborem scandit :
Jake aurea demetit. Hist. Nat. Lib. 16. Cap. 44.-

(24) Let it be noted once for all, that as in other tongues,
so in Irish and Welsh particularly, t and d are commonly
put for each other, by reason of their aflinity ; and that dk
and gh being pronounc'd alike in Irish, and therefore often
confounded, yet an exact writer will alVays have regard to
the origin as well as to the analogy of any word : and so he'll
write Druidhe (for example) aii'd not Druighe, much less
Draoithe broadly and aspirate ly ; nor will he use any other

OF THE DRUIDS. 63

three orders or degrees ; namely, to give an example
now in the British diale<#, as I shall give their turns
to all the Celtic colonies, Privardh, Posvardh, and
Aruyvardh : but, with regard to the subjects whereof
they treated, they were call'd Prududh, or Tevluur, or
Clerur; which words, with the equivalent Irish names,
shall be explain'd in our history, where you'll find
this division of the Bards well warranted. The first
were Chronologers, the second Heralds, and the third
Comic or Satyrical Poets among the vulgar : for the
second sort did sing the praises of great men in the
heroic strain, very often at the head of armies, like
him in VIRGIL

Cretea musarum comitem, cui carmina semper
Et citharae cordi, numerosque intendere nervis ;
Semper equos, atq ; arma virum, pugnasq ; canebat :

VIKG. AEN. Lib. 9.

And the first, who likewise accompany'd them in peace,
did historically register their genealogies and atchiev-
ments. We have some proofs that the panegyrics of
the Gallic Bards did not always want wit no more
than flattery ; and particularly an instance out of A-
theneus, who had it from Posidonius the Stoic, con-
cerning (26) Luernius, a Gallic Prince, extraordinary

mis pell ings, tho' ever so common in books. This is well
observ'd by an old author, who writing of CONLA a hea-
then freethinking Judge of Connncht, thus characterizes
him ; Se do rinne an choinbhliocht ris na Druidhi.bk : 'twas
he that disputed against the Druids. These Criticisms,
-some wou'd say, are trifles : but

Hae nu°'ae in seria ducunt.

Whether it be LUERNIUS, or as STKABO writes it

04 THE HISTORY

rich, liberal, and magnificent. He was the father of
that same Bittits, who was beaten by the Romans.
Now this Luerniits, says (27) my author, " Having
" appointed a certain day for a feast, and one of the
46 Barbarous Poets coming too late, met him as he
" was departing ; whereupon he began to sing his
46 praises and to extol his grandeur, but to lament
46 his own unhappy delay. Luernius being delighted,
ts call'd for a purse of Gold, which he threw to him,
" as he ran by the side of his chariot : and he taking
" it up, began to sing again to this purpose ; THAT

" OUT OF THE TRACKS HIS CHARIOT HAD FLOWED ON THB
" GROUND, SPRUNG UP GOLD AND BLESSINGS TO MAN-

" KIND." As some of the Gallic Bards were truly in-
genious, so were many of them mere quiblers : and
among the bombast of the British and Irish Bards,
there want not infinite instances of the true sublime.
Their Epigrams were admirable, nor do the modern I-
talians equal them in conceits. But in stirring the
passions, their Elegies and Lamentations far excede
those of the Greecs, because they express nature
much more naturally. These bards are not yet quite
extinct, there being of them in Wales, in the High-
lands of Scotland, and in Ireland : nor did any coun-
try in the world abound like the last with this sort of

LUERIUS. the name is frequent either way in the antient-
cst Irish Writers, as LOARN, and Luinc orLuiGHAiRB.

(27) Apliorisar.tos (P autou prolhestniavi pote tea t homes aphysteresanta tina toa
Barbara n poieten aphikesthai ; kai syuautesaita mpt' ode> hynm.an autou ten
kyperocheu, heauton d' hypothre;;.?iu holi hyslercke : tonde terpbtlienta thylalana,
aitesai chrysiou, kai ripsai autu paratrechonti ; anclomenon de ekeiaon palin
kymnein, leg-onta, dio kai ta icbne tT>s g-es (cph* lies harmatelatei) cbrvsor. kii
«uergesias anthropois ph'er«i. Edit. Lugd. Lib. 4. Pa*. 152-

OF THE DRUIDS.

men, whose licentious panegyrics or satyrs have not a

little contributed to breed confusion in the Irish his-

tory. There were often at a time, a thousand Ollaws

(28) or graduate Poets, besides a proportienable num-

ber of inferior Rhymers, who all of 'em liv'd most

of the year on free cost : and, what out of fear of their

railing, or love of their flattery, no body durst deny

them any thing, be it armour, fewel, liorse, mantle, or

the like ; which grew into a general custom, whereof

the Poets did not fail to take the advantage. The

great men, out of self-love and interest, encouraged

no other kind of learning, especially after they profes-

sed Christianity : the good regulation, under which

they were in the time of Druidism, as then in some

manner belonging to the temples, having been destroy-

ed with that religion. In a small time they became

such a grievance, that several attempts were made to

rid the nation of them : and, which is something comi-

cal, what at least our present Poets would not extra-

ordinarly like, the orders for banishing them were al-

ways to the Highlands of Scotland ; while they were

ES often harbour'd in Ulster, till upon promise of a-

mendment of their manners I mean and not of their

poetry, they were permitted to return to the other

provinces. At last, in a general national assembly, or

parliament, at Drumcat, (29) in the country we now

call the county of Londonderry, under [30] Aidiis

Anmireus, Xlth. Christian king, in the year 597, where

(C28) Ollamh is a Professor cr Doctor in any faculty.

('29) Druim-ceat alias Druimcheat.

[30] AODHMHAC AlNMHIRE

THE HISTORY

was also present (31) Adius king of Scotland and
the great (32) Columba, it was decreed : that for the
better preservation of their history, genealogies, and
the purity of their language, the supreme monarch,
and the subordinate kings, with every lord of a can-
tred, should entertain a Poet of his own, no more be-
ing allowed by the antient law in the iland ; and
that upon each of these and their posterity a portion
of land, free from all duties, shou'd be settl'd for ever ;
that, for encouraging the learning these Poets and
Antiquaries profest, public Schools shou'd be appoint-
ed and endow'd, under the national inspection ; and
that the Monarch's own Bard should be Arch-poet (33),
and have super-intendency over the rest. 'Tis a com-
mon mistake, into which father Pezron has fallen a-
mong others, that the Bards belonged to the body of
the Druids : but this is not the place to rectify it.
They made hymns for the use of the temples, 'tis true,
and manag'd the music there ; but they were the
Druids that officiated as Priests, and no sacrifices
were offer'd but by their ministry.

X. In the History likewise shall be fully explain'd
the third order of the Celtic Lilerati, by the Greecs call-
ed OUATEIS, and by the Romans VATES ; which yet is
neither Greec nor Roman, but a mere Celtic word, viz.
FAIDH, which signifies to this day a prophet in all Irish
books, and in the common language, particularly in the

(31) AODHANMHAC
(32). COLUIM-CILLE.

(33) Ard-Ullamh.

OF THE DPUins. 67

Irish translation of the Bihle ; where Druids (34)) are
also commonly put for Inchanters, as those of Egypt,
and especially for the Mages , or as we translate, the
wise men (3.5) that came from the East, to visit JESUS
in his cradle. So easily do men convey their own ideas
into other men's books, or find 'em there ; which has
been the source of infinite mistakes, not onely in Divi-
nity, but also in Philosophy and Philology. The Cel-
tic (36) VAIDS were Physicians and Diviners, great
proficients in natural Philosophy, as were likewise the
Druids, v/ho had the particular inspection of Morals,
but CICERO, who was well acquainted with one of the
prime Druids, remarks, that their predictions were as
much grounded on (37) conjecture, as on the rules of
Augury : both equally fortuitous and fallacious. For
the saying of EURIPIDES will ever hold true, that (38)

(34) Draoithe. F.xod. 7. 11. Anois Draoithi* na Herripte
dorinnedursanfosa anmodh<?ceadnal nan 'roigheachtuibb.

(35) Mat. 2. 1. Feuch Tangadar Draoithe o naird shoir
go Hiarusalern.

(36) The word is Faidh (or Vail bv the usual conversion
of the Letters F into FandDitjto T ) whence the Latins
made Vales ; and their Critics acknowledge, that they took
many words from the Gauls. The Euchages <ind Eubages,
in some copies of AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS, are false
readings, as in time will appear. So are Drusi, Drusides,
and Drvslades for Druides : as likewise Vardi9 from the
Brittish and Irish oblique cases o? Bard.

(37) Sifptidem & in GaUla Druides sunt, e quibus ipse Dr-
VITIACUM Aeduttm, hospitem tuwrt laudatoremque* cognovi
(inquit QCJINTUS) qui §• naturae ratio nem,f/uam physiologi-
am Graeci appellant, notam esse sibi profitebatur ; $partim
Au0uriist partim conjee tura, quae cssent futura dicebat.
De Divinat. lib. 1. cap. 41.

(38) Mantis aristos, ho>Us eikazci kalor.

6S THE HISTORY

the best giicsser is the best Prophet. He that is nearly
acquainted with the state of affairs, that understands
the springs of human actions, and, that, judiciously al-
lowing for circumstances, compares the present time
with the past : he, I say, will make a shrewd guess at
the future. By this time, My Lord, you begin to per-
ceive what is to be the subject of the History I intend
ta write ; which, tho' a piece of general learning and
great curiosity,, yet I shall make it my business so to
digest •, as ta render it no less intertaining than instruc-
tive to all sorts of readers, without excepting the la-
dies,, who are. pretty much concern'd in this matter ;
throwing, as. I told you before, all my Critical observa-
vations, and Disquisitions about words, into the mar-
gin, or the Dissertation annext to the History. As to
what I say of the ladies being concern'd in this His-
tory, there were not only Druidesses ; but some even
of the highest rank, and Princesses themselves were
educated by the Druids: for in our own Annals we read,
that the two daughters of king (39) Laogirius, in whoss
reign Patric preach'd Christianity, were educated by
them ; and we have the particulars of a long dispute
those young ladies maintained against this new Rer
ligion, very natural but very subtil. Several other la-
dies bred under the Druids became famous for their
writings and proficiency in learning, of some of whom
we shall occasionally give an account : but lest I shou'd
be thought in every thing to flatter the Sex, how much
soever I respect them, I refer the* reader to a story in
my third Letter. But, in order to complete my design v

(39.) LAOGJIAIRE.

OF THE DRUIDS.

so as to leave no room for any to write on this subject
after me ; and also to procure several valuable Manu-
scripts, or authentic copiesof them, well knowing where
they ly, I purpose towards the Spring to take a journey
for at least six months : which, at our next meeting, I
shall do myself the honour to impart to your Lordship
very particularly,

XI. The Irish, a few Scandinavian and Danish words

1 excepted, being not only a Dialect of the antient Cel-

tic or Gallic, but being also liker the mother than her o-

ther daughter the British ; and the Irish Manuscripts

being more numerous and much antienter than the

Welsh, shows beyond all contradiction the necessity of

this language for retrieving the knowledge of the Cel-

tic Religion and Learning. CAMDEN and others have

long since taken notice of the agreement between the

present British and those old Gallic words collected by

learned men out of Greec and Roman authors : and

the industrious Mr. EDWARD LHUYD, late keeper of the

Museum at Oxford, perceiv'd this affinity between the

same words and the Irish, even before he study'd that

language, by the demonstration I gave him of the same

in all the said instances. Nor does he deny this agree-

ment in i he comparative Etymologicon he afterwards

made of those languages, where he quotes CAMDEN and

BOXHORNIUS affirming it about the Gallic and British;

"but there being, says he (4*0), no Vocabulary extant, mean-

ing no doubt in print, of the Irish, or antient Scottish,

they coiCd not collate that language therewith^ which fae

'40} In the preface to his Archccologia Britanmcat pag. 1,

To THR HISTORY

curious in these studies will now fnd to agree rather
more than oursy with the Gaulish. That it does so, is
absolute fact, as will be seen by hundreds of instances
in this present work. I am aware that what I am go-
ing" to say will sound very oddly, and seem more than
* a paradox ; but I deserve, My Lord, and shall be con-
tent with your severest censure, if, before you have
finish'd reading these sheets, you be not firmly of the
same mind yourself: namely, that, without the know-
ledge of the Irish language and books, the Gallic Anti-
quities, not meaning the Francic, can never be set in
any tolerable light, with regard either to words or to
things'; and numerous occasions there will occur in this
History of illustrating both words and things even in
the Greec and Roman authors. I shall here give one
example of this, since I just come from treating of the
several professors of learning common to the antient
Gauls, Britons, and Scots, viz. the Dniids, Bards, and
Vaids. Lucian (41) relates that in Gaule he saw HER-
CULES represented as a little old man, whom in the
language of the country they call'd OGMIUS ; drawing-
after him an infinite multitude of persons, who seem'd
most willing to follow, tho5 drag'd by extreme fine and
almost imperceptible chains : which were fasten'd at
the one end to their ears, and held at the other, not in
cither of HERCULES' s hands, which were both otherwise
imploy'd ; but ty'd to the tip of his tongue, in which
there was a hole on purpose, wherp all those chains
centefd. Lucian wondering at this manner of portray-

(41) Ton Herdclr-a hoi Keltoi OGMION" cmomazousi phone te
ft qiHK sequnntiir in IlERctiiE GAI.UCO: Gra=ca ctcnim lonpiora swt, cuam ut
Kic commode insert v..-3lnt-

OF THE DRUIDS. 71

ing HERCULES, was inform'd by a learned Druid who
stood by, that HERCULES did not in Gaule, as in Greece,
betoken Strength of Body, but the Force of Eloquence ;
which is there very beautifully displayed by the Druid,
in his explication of the picture that hung in the temple.
Now, the Critics of all nations have made a heavy po-
ther about this same word OGMIUS, and laboriously
sought for the meaning of it every where, but just
where it was to be found. The most celebrated BO-
CHART, who, against the grain of nature, if I may so
speak, wou'd needs reduce all things to Phenician; says
it is an oriental word, since the Arabians (42) call
strangers and barbarians Agemion : as if, because the
Phenicians traded antiently to Gaule and the British
Hands, for Colonies in them they planted none, they
must have also imported their language ; and, with
their other commodities, barter'd it for something to
the natives, naming their places, their men, and their
Gods for them. Our present Britons, who are at least
as great traders, do not find they can do so in Phenicia,
nor nearer home in Greece and Italy, nor yet at their
own doors in this very Gaule : besides that Lucian does
positively affirm OGMIUS was a Gallic word, a word (43)
of the country. This has not hinder'd a learned Eng-
lish Physician, Dr. EDMUND DICKENSON, from hunting
still in the East for a derivation of it; conjecturing HEII-

(42) In Geographia Sacra, sive Canaan, part. £. cap. 42.

O3) Phone te rpichoric. Ubi supra.

THE HISTORY

CULES to bs (44) JOSHUA, who was surnamed OGMIUS,
for having conquer'd OG King of Bashan :

O / sanctas gentes ! quibus haec nascuntur in hortis

Numina.

JUVENAL. 'Sat. 15 ver. 10.

I could make your Lordship yet merryer, or rather an-
grier, at these forc'd and far-fetch'd Etymologies, to-
gether with others hammer'd as wretchedly out of
Greec, nay even out of Suedish and German. But the
word OGMIUS, as Lucian was truely inform'd, is pure
Celtic; and signifies, to use TACITUS'S (45) phrase about
the Germans, the Secret of Letters, particularly the
Letters themselves, and consequently the learning that
depends on them, from whence the Force of Eloquence
procedes : so that HERCULES OGMIUS is the learned
HERCULES, or HERCULUS the protector of learning, hav-
ing by many been reputed himself a (46) Philosopher.
To prove this account of the word, so natural and so
apt, be pleas'd to understand, that, from the very be-
ginning of the Colony, OGUM, sometimes written

(44) JOSUAM quotjue spcctasse videtur illud nomen, quo
Galll antiquilus HERCULEM nuncupabant. Unde vcro O^-'
mios ? Annon ab OG victu? Del ph. Fhccnicizant. cap. 3.

(45) Litcrarum Sccreta viri pariter ac foeminac ingno-
rant. De moribus Germanorum, cap. 19.

(46) En de tois chronois tea Basileias tou Phoiuicos en HeracH'S ho Philoso-
phos Tyrios hostis epheure ten con^ch^'leu, &c. Palacphatifragmcntum in CVom-
co Alcxandrino. Heracles Alkmeuta hyios, Teuton Pliilosophou hystorousi, &c.
Suidas in Voce Hcra/:les. Et din. tints Suidam awiiobat apud Htraclitum, in
Allegoriis Homericis, Auer eraphron, kai sophias ouraniou mvstes, hospcrci ka-
ta Batheias achlyos epithedykyian cphotize ten philcsopbian, Kathaper horao-
logousi koi SwikTu h&i d^kimo'tatoi.

OF THE DRUIDS. 73

OGAM, and also (47) OGMA, has signify'd in Ireland the
Secret of Letters, or the Irish Alphabet ; for the truth
of which I appeal to all the antient Irish books, with-
out a single exception. Tis one of the most authentic
words of the language, and originally stands for this
notion alone. Indeed after Patric had converted the
nation, and, for the better propagating of Christian
books, introduced the use of the Roman letters, instead
of the antient manner of writing, their primitive let-
ters, very different from those they now use, began by
degrees to grow obsolete ; and at last legible only by
Antiquaries and other curious men, to whom they stood
in as good stead as any kind of occult characters :
whence it happen'd that Ogum, from signifying the se-
cret of writing^ came to signify secret writing, but still
principally meaning the original Irish Characters.
There are several Manuscript Treatises extant, describ-
ing and teaching the various methods of this Secret
Writing ; as one in the College-Library of (48) Dub-
lin, and another in that of IIM Grace the Duke of (49)
Chandois. Sir James Ware, in his Antiquities of Ire-
land, relating how the antient Irish did, besides the
vulgar characters, practise also divers ways and arts
of occult writing, caWd Ogum, in which they wrote their

(47) As in the Dublin College Manuscript, to be pre-
sently cited.

(4S) 'Tis, among other pieces, in the Book of Baltimore ;
being the 25oth volume in the Dublin Catalogue, in parch
merit, folio, D. 18.

(49) Anonymi cujusdam Tractates de variis apud Hiber-
nos.vcteres occultis scribe?idiformulis9 Hibernice OGUM dictis,

f i THE HISTORY

seer els ; I have, continues (50) he, an antient parchment
book full of these, which is the same just now said to
belong to the Duke of Chandois : and Dudley (51)
Forbes, a hereditary Antiquary, wrote to the rather
laborious than judicious Chronologist (52) O Flaherty,
in the Year 1688, that he had some of the primitive
(53) Birch-tables, for those they had before the use of
parchment or paper, and many sorts of the old occult
writing by him, These are principally the Ogham-
beith, the Qgh&ifrcvll, and the (54) Ogham-craoth,
which last is the old one and the true. But that the
primary Irish letters, the letters first in common use,
which in the manner we have shown, became acciden-
tally occult, were originally meant by the word Ogum ;
besides the appeal made above to all antient authors,
is plain in particular from Forchern, a noted Bard and
Philosopher, who liv'd a little before Christ. This
learned msfn ascribing with others the invention of let-
ters to the Phenicians, cr rather more strictly and pro-
perly to Phenix, whom tke Irish call Fenius far sal dh>
or Phenix the aniient, says, that, among other Alpha-
bets, as the Hebrew, Greec, and Latin, he also coin-
pos'd that of (55) Bethluisnion an Oghum, the Alphabet

(50) Proeter characteres vulgarcs utebantur etiam vettres
liiberni variis occultis fcribendiformntis scu artifciis, Ogum
dictis, quilms secreta sua scribtbani: his refcrtum habco Hbsl*
lum memnranactum antiquum. Cap. 2.

(51) DUALTACH MHAC FlRBIS.

(52) RUJMIRUIGH O FLAITH-BHEARTUIGII.

(53) Ogygia, part. 3. cap. 30. •
^54) Ogum>branch( s.

(55) FENIUS FA.RSAIVH Alphabet® prima

OF THE DRUIDS. 75

tf Ogum, or the Irish Alphabet, meaning that he in-
vented the first letters, in imitation of which the Al-
phabets of those Nations were made. Ogum is also
taken in this sense by the best modern writers : as
William (56) O Done II ', afterwards Archbishop of
Tuam, in his preface to the Irish New Testament, de-
dicated to King James the First, and printed at Dub-
lin in the Year 1602, speaking of one of his assistants,
.says, that he enjoin d him to write the other part ac-
cording to the Ogum and propriety of the Irish tongue;
where Ogum must necessarily signify the Alphabet,
Orthography, and true manner of writing Irish. Frfjna
all this it is clear, why among tlie Gauls, of whom the
Irish had their Language and Religion, Hercules, as
the protector of Learning, shou'd be calld Ogmius, the
termination alone being Greec. Nor is this all. Og-
ma was not only a known proper name in Ireland, but
also on s of the most antient ; since Ogma Grianann,
the father of King (57) Dalboetius, was one of the first
of the Danannan race, many ages before Luicans time.
He was a very learned man, marry d to Eathna, a fa-
mous Poetess, who bore, besides the fore-mention'd
Monarch, Cairbre likewise a Poet : insomuch that Og-
ma was deservedly surnamed (58) Grianunn, which is

Grcecorum, Latinorum, et Eethluisnion AN OGHUIM, compo-
suit. Ex FORCHERNI libro, octiugentis retro annis Latine
reddito.

(56) WILLIAM ODOMHNUILL.

(57) DEALBHAOITH.

(58) Grianis the Sun, and Grianann Sun like, or belong*
ing to the Sun,

7G THE HISTORY

to say Phebean, where you may observe Learning* still
attending this name. The Celtic Language being
now almost extinct in Gaule, except onely in lower
Britanny, and such Galic words as remain scatter'd
among the French ; subsists however intire in the se-
veral (59) dialects of the Celtic Colonies, as do the
words Ogum and Ogma particularly in Irish. Nor is
there any thing better known to the learned, or will
appear more urraeniable in the sequel of this work, than
that words lost in one dialect of the same common lan-
guage, are often found in another : as a Saxon word,
fof example, grown obsolete in Germany, but remain-
ing yet irf England, may be also us d in Switzerland ;
or another word grown out of date in England, and
florishing still; in Denmark, continues likewise in Ice-
land. So most of the antiquated English words are
more or less corruptly extant in Friezland^ Jutland,
and the other Northern countries ; with not a few in
the Lowlands of Scotland, and in the old English Pale
in Ireland.

XII. Now, from the name of HERCULES let's come
to his person, or at least to the person acknowledged to
have been one of the Heros worship'd by the Gauls,
and suppos'd by the Greecs and Romans to be HER-
CULES. On this occasion I cannot but reflect on the
opposite conduct, which the learned and the unlearned
formerly observ'd, with respect to the Gods and divine
matters. If, thro' the. ignorance or superstition of the

(*9) These are British, Welsh, Cornish, Irish, Manks,
and Earse.

OF THE DRUIDS. 77

people, any fable, tho' ever so gross, was generally re-
ceiv'd in a Religion ; the learned being asham'd of such
an absurdity, yet not daring openly to explode any
thing wherein the Priests found their account, explain-
ed it away by emblems and allegories importing a rea-
sonable meaning, of which the first authors never
thought : and if the learned on the other hand, either
to procure the greater veneration for their dictates, or
the better to conceal their sentiments from the profane
vulgar, did poetically discourse of the elements and
qualities of matter, of the constellations or the planets,
and the like effects of nature, veiling them as persons;
the common sort immediately took them for so many
persons in good earnest, and render'd 'em divine wor-
ship under such forms, as the Priests judg'd fittest to
represent them. Objects* df divine worship have been
coin'd out of the rhetorical flights of Orators, or the
flattering addresses of Panegyrists : even metaphors
and epithets have been transformed into Gods, which
procur'd mony for the Priests as well as the best ; and
this by so much the more, as such objects were multi-
ply'd. This is the unavoidable consequence of deviat-
ing ever so little from plain Truth, which is never so
heartily and highly reverenc'd, as when appearing in
her native simplicity; for as soon as'her genuine beauties
are indeavour'd to be heightn'd by borrow'd ornaments,
and that she's put under a disguise in gorgeous ap-
parel ; she quickly becomes, like others affecting such
a dress, a mercenary prostitute, wholly acting by vani-
ty, artifice, or interest, and never speaking but in am-

78 THE HISTORY

biguous or unintelligible terms ; while the admiration
of her lovers is first turn'd into amazement, as it com-
monly ends in contemt and hatred. But over and above
the difficulty, which these proceedings have occasion-
ed in the history of antient time, there arises a greater
from time itself destroying infinite circumstances, the
want whereof causes that to seem afterwards obscure,
which at the beginning was very clear and easy. To
this we may join the preposterous emulation of nations,
in ascribing to their own Gods or Heros, whatever qua-
lities were pre-eminent in those of others. That most
judicious writer (60) about the nature of the Gods,
commonly call'd PHURNUTUS, tho' his true name was
CORNUTUS, a Stoic Philosopher, whom I shall have fre-
quent occasion to quote hereafter, " Owns the great
" (61) variety, and consequently the perplexedness and
" obscurity, that occurs in the history of HERCULES ;
" whereby it is difficult to know certainly what were
" his real atchievments, or what were fabulously father-
" ed upon him: but having been an excellent General,
« who had in diverse countries signaliz'd his valor, he

(60) Phournoulou theoria peri tes ton theon physeos, vulgo : sed, ut Ravii
codex $ Vaticanus legunt (not ante doctissima Galeo) veru.s titulus est Kornouteu
epidrorae ton kata ten Helleuiken theorian paradidorneuon.

(61) To ce dysdiakrita gegonenai ta tou theou idia, apo ton peri tou HtJ-
roos historoumenon. Tacha d'an he leonte kai to ropalon ek tes palaias the-
ologias epi touton metenenegmena eie ; strategon g-ar auton genomenon agathon,
kai poila mere tes ges raeta dynameos epelthonta ouch* hoion te gymnon edox-
an perielelythenai xylo mono hoplismenon : alia tois * episernois tou theou, meta
ton apalhanatismon, hypo ton euerg-etoumenon Jkekosraesthai ; symbalon gar
hekateron eie romes kai gennaiotitos, &c.

• Alii pisynois.

OF THE DRUIDS. 79

" thinks it not probable, that he went onely arm'd
" with a Lion's skin and a Club ; but that he was re-
" presented after his death with these, as symbols of
" generosity and fortitude, for which reason he was
" pictur'd with a bow and arrows." To this let me
add, that several valiant men in several nations having,
in imitation of some one man any where, been called
or rather surnam'd HERCULES ; not only the works of
many, as subduing of Tyrants, exterminating of wild
beasts, promoting or exercising of commerce, and pro-
tecting or improving of learning have been ascrib'd to
one : but that also wherever any robust person was
found represented with a skin and a club, a bow and
arrows, he was straight deem'd to be HERCULES; whence
the Egyptian, the Indian, the Tyrian, the Cretan, the
Grecian or Theban, and the Gallic HERCULES. This
was a constant way with the Greecs and Romans, who,
for example, from certain resemblances perfectly acci-
dental, conjectur'd that Isis was honour'd by the (62)
Germans, and BACCHUS worship'd by the (63) Jews,
which last notion is refuted even by their enemy (64)

9) Pars S?ievorum fy Iftidi sacrlficat. Unde causa et
origo peregrino sacro pantm comperi\ nisi quod signum ip-
sum> in modum Liburnaefiguratum, docet advectam Religi-
onern. TACIT, de mor. German, cap. 9.

(63) PLUTARCH. Symposiac. lib. 4. quern prolixius dis«
serentem oiiosus consulas, lector.

(64) Qtiia sacerdotes eorum tibia tympanisque concinebant,
hedera mnciebantur , vitisque aurea templo reperta, Liberum
patrem coli, domitorem Orientis, yuidam wbitrati sunt, ne-
quaquam congruentibus institiitis: quippe Liber festos lae~
fasque ritus posuit, Judccorum mos absurdus sordidusque.
Lib. 5. c%ap, 5.

80 THE HISTORY

TACITUS. Such superficial discoveries about the Cel-
tic Divinities I shall abundantly expose. Yet that
OGMIUS might be really the Grecian HERCULES, well
known in Gaule, it will be no valid exception that he
was by the Druids Theologically made the symboll of
the Force of Eloquence, for which that country has
been ever distinguish'd and esteem'd : since even in
Greece he was, as PHUKNUTUS assures us, mystically
accounted (65) that Reason ibhich is diffused thro" all
things, according to which nature is vigorous and strong,
invincible and ever generating \ being the power that
communicates virtue and firmness to every part of things.
The Scholiast of APOLLONIUS affirms, that the natural
Philosophers understood by HEIICULES, the (66) intel-
ligence and permanence of beings : as the Egyptians
held him to be (67) that Reason, which is in the ivhole
of things, and in every part. Thus the learned allego-
riz'd away among others, as I said before, the fabulous
atchievments and miraculous birth of this Hero, on
which we shall however touch again, when we come
to explain the Heathen humor of making all extraor-
dinary persons the Sons of Gods, and commonly begot
on Virgins ; tho' this last is not the case of Hercules,
who was feign 'd to be the Son of Jupiter by Alcme?ia,

(65) Heracles de estin ho en tois holois logos, kath* hon he physis isrhyra
fcai krataia estin, aniketos kai apmigenueto^ ousa ; metadotikos ischyos, ka.i tea
para meros alkes hyparehon.

(66) Para tois Physikois ho H entiles synesis kai alke lanibanetai.

(G7) Ton en pasi, kai d;a panton, log-on ; non HClion, ui corrv.yt& legi own
GALEO suspiear in MAC^IOBIO, Saturtal. lib. 1. cap. 20.

OF THE DRUIDS. 81

another rr.an's wife. This wou d be reckon d immoral
among men, but Jupiter, said the Priests, can do with
hie own what he pleases : which reason, if it contented
the husbands, cou d not. displease the batchelors, who
mHit chance to be sometimes Jupiter's substitutes.
The Druidical allegory of Ogmius, or the Gallic Her-
cules, which in its proper place I shall give you at
large, is extremely beautiful : and as it concerns that
Eloquence whereof you are so consummate a master,
cannot but powerfully charm you.

XIII. In the mean time 'tis probable your Lord-
ship will be desireous to know, whether, besides the
language and traditions of the Irish, or the monuments
of stone and other materials which the country affords,
there yet remain any Literary records truly antient and
unadulterated, whereby the History of the Druids, with
such other points of antiquity, may be retrieved, or at
least illustrated ? This is a material question, to which
I return a clear and direct answer; that not onely there
remain very many antient Manuscripts undoubtedly
genuine, besides such as are forg d, and greater num-
bers (68) interpolated, several whereof are in Ireland
itself, some here in England, and others in the Irish
Monasteries abroad: but that, notwithstanding the long

state of barbarity in which that nation hath lain, and |

(68) As the Uraic-eacht na neigios, i. e. the Accidence
of the Artists, or the Poets; which being the work of FOR-
CHERN before-nam'd, was interpolated, and fitted to his
own time, by CEANN FAOLADU the Son of OILIOLL, in
the Year oftfott* 628.

THE HISTORY

after all the rebellions and wars with which the king-
dom has been harrass'd ; they have incomparably more
antient materials of that kind for their history, to which
even their Mythology is not unserviceable, than either
the English, or t&e French^ or any other European na-
tion, with whose Manuscripts I have any acquaintance.
©£ these I shall one day give a catalogue, marking the
places- where they now ly, as many as I know of them ;
But no£ aaeaning every Transcript of the same Manu-
scriptf^wJuclLWQu'd be endless, if not impossible. In all
conditions the Wsh have been strangely sollicitous, if
not in som« degree superstitious, about preserving their
books and parchments ; even those of them, which are
so old, as to Be now partly or wholly unintelligible.
Abundance thro* overcare have perished under ground,
the concealer not having skill,. or wanting searcloth and
otlteE proper materials; for, preserving them. The most?
valuable pieces*, both ii* verae and prose, were written.
by their Heatheir ancestors r whereof some indeed have
been interpolated after die prevailing of Christianity,
which additions or alterations- are nevertheless easily
distinguished : and in these books the rites and formu-
laries of the Druids, together with their Divinity and
Philosophy ; especially their two grand doctrines of the
eternity and incorruptibility of* the universe, and the
incessant Revolution of all beings and- forms, are very
specially^ tho' sometimes very figuratively express'd.
Hence their Allanimation and Transmigration. Why
none of the natives have hitherto made any better use
of these treaswes ; or why both they, and s^ch others

OF THE DRUIDS. 83

;asliave written concerning the History of Ireland, have
onely entertain'd the world with the fables of it, as no
country wants a fabulous account of its original, or the
succession of its Princes, why the modern Irish His-
torians, I say, give us such a medley of relations, un-
pick'd and unchosen, I had rather any man else shou'd
tell. The matter is certainly ieady, there wants but
will or skill for working of it; separating the Dross
from the pure Ore, and distinguishing counterfeit from
sterling coin. This in the meantime is undeniable, that
learned men in other places^ perceiving the same dishes
to be eternally servld up at every meal5 are of opinion
that there is no better fare hi the country ; while those
things have been conceal'd from them by the ignerant
or the lazy, that would have added no small ornament
€ven to their classical studies. Of this I hope to con-
vince the world by the lustre, which, m this work, I
shall impart to the Antiquities not only of Gaule and
Britain, but likewise to numerous passages of the
Greec and Latin authors. How many noble discoveries
of the like kind might be made in all countries, where
the use of Letters has long subsisted ! Such things in
the mean time are as if thej were not : for

Paulum sepultce distat inertia;
Celata virtus.

if ORAT. lib. 4. Od. 9.

The use of letters has been very antient in Ireland,
at first were cut on the bark Of trees (69), pre-
for that purpose ; or on smooth tables x)f birch-
(69) Oralum,

84 THE HISTORY

wood, which were call'd [70] Poets tables ; as their
characters were in general namd [71] twigs and
branch-letters, from their shape. Their Alphabet was
call d Beth-luis-nion, from the three first letters of the
same, B, L, N, Beth, Luis, Nion [72] : for the parti-
cular name of every letter was, for memory-sake, from
some tree or other vegetable ; which, in the infancy of
writing on barks and boards, was very natural. They
had also many characters signifying whole words, like
the Egyptians and the Chinese. When Patric intro-
ducd the Roman letters, as I said above, then, from a
corruption of Abcedarium, they call'd their new Alpha- ,
bet [73] Aibghittir ; which, by the Monkish writers,
has been Latiniz d [74] Abgetorium. But there florish-
ed a great number of Druids, Bards, Vaids, and other
authors in Ireland long before Patricks arrival ; whose
learning was not only more extensive, but also much
more useful than that of their Christian posterity this
last sort being almost wholly imploy d in scholastic

[70] Taibhh Fileadh.

[71] Feadha : Craobh Ogham.

[72] Birch, Quicken, and Ash.

[73] At first it was very analogically pronounc'd Ab-ke«
dazr, since the letter C then in Latin, as still in Irish and
British, had the forte of K no less before E and I, than be-
fore A, O, U ; having never been pronounc'd like S by the
antieut Romans, who said KIKEKO, kenseo, koecus, but
not SISERO, senseo, soecus, when the words CICERO, censeo,
coccus, or such like occurred : so that Abkedair did natural-
ly liquidate into Aibghittir > in the manner that all Gramma-
rians know. *

[74] Scripsil Abgetoria [scilicet Patricius] 355, ct eo am*
plius numero. NENN. Hist. Britan. cap. 59.

OF THE DRUIDS. 85

Divinity, Metaphysical or Chronological Dispute?, Le-
gends, Miracles, and Martyrologies, especially after the
eighth century. Of all the things committed to wri-
ting by the Heathen Irish, none were more celebrated,
or indeed in themselves more valuable, than their
laws ; which were deliver d, as antiently among some
other nations, in short sentences, commonly in verse,
no less reputed infallible Oracles than the Lacedemo-
nian Rethrcz (15) : and, what's remarkable, they are
expresly term'd (76) Celestial Judgements ; for the
pronouncing of which, the most famous were Forchern>
Neid, Conla, Eogan, Modan^ Moran, King Cormac,
his Chief Justice Fithil, Fachma, Maine, Ethnea the
daughter of Amalgad, and many more. The Celestial
Judgements were only preserv d in traditionary poems,
according to the institution of the Druids, till commit-
ted to writing at the command of (77) Concovar king
of Ulster ; who dy'd in the year of Christ 48, where-
as Patric begun his Apostleship but in the year 432.
The Poets that wrote were numberless, of whose
works several pieces remain still intire, with diverse
fragments of others. The three greatest incouragers
of learning among the Heathen Irish monarchs were,
first, King (78) Achaius, surnamed the Doctor of Ire-*
land, who is said to have built at Tarah an Acr? :lemy,
calld The Court of the Learned (79). 'Twos he that

(75) Retrai.

(76) Breatha nimhe.

(77) CONCHOBHAR NESS AN, i. e. Mac NEASSA.
(73) EOCHAIDH OLLAMHFODLA.

(79) Mur-Qllamhan.

86 THE HISTORY

ordain'd, for every principal family, hereditary Anti-
quaries ; or, in case of incapacity, the most able of the
same historical house, with rank and privileges imme-
diately after the Druids. The next promoter of Let-
ters was King (80) TUATHALIUS, whose surname is
render'd Bonaventura, tho' not so properly, and who
appointed a triennial revision of all the Antiquaries
Books, by a committee of three Kings or great Lords,
three Druids, and three Antiquaries. These were to
cause whatever was approved and found valuable in
those books, to be transcribed into the royal (81) Book
of Tarah ; which was to be the perpetual standard of
their history, and by which 'the contents of all other
such books shou'd be receiv'd or rejected. Such good
regulations I say there were made, but not how long
or how well observed : or, if truth is to be preferr'd to all
other respects, we must own they were but very slightly
regarded : and that the Bards, besides their poetical
license, were both mercenary and partial to a scandal-
ous degree. The ordinance however is admirable, and
deserves more to be imitated, than we can ever expect
it to be so any -where. The third most munificent pat-
ron of Literature was King CORM AC* surnamed (82)
Long-beard, who renew'd the laws about the Antiqua-
ries, re-built and inlarg'd the Academy at Tarah for
history, law, and military prowess : besides that he was
an indefatigable distributer of justice, having written

(80) TUATHAL TEACHTMHAB. »

(81) Leabhar Teamhra.

(82) ULFHADA.

OF THE DRUIDS. 87

himself abundance of laws still extant. So is his (83)
Institution of a Prince (84t) or his Precepts to his son
and successor CARBRE (85} LIFFECAIR, who in like
manner was not superficially addicted to the Muses,
CORMAC was a great proficient in Philosophy, made
light of the superstitions of the Druids in his youth ;
and, in his old age having quitted the scepter, he led
a contemplative life : rejecting all the Druidical fables
and idolatry, and acknowledging only one Supreme
Being, or first Cause. This short account of the pri-
mevous Irish Learning, whereof you'll see many proofs
and particulars in the more than once mention'd Dis-
sertation concerning the Celtic Language' and Colonies,
to be annext to our Critical History, will, I am confi-
dent, excite your curiosity.

XIV. The custom therefore, or rather cunning of
the Druids, in not committing their rites or doctrines
to writing, has not deprived us as some may be apt to
imagine, of sufficient materials to compile their His-
tory. For, in the first place, when the Romans be-
came masters of Gaule, and every where mixt with
the natives ; they cou'd not avoid, in that time of light
and learning, but arrive at the certain knowledge of
whatever facts they have been pleas'd to hand down

(83) 'Tis, among other most valuable pieces, in the Col-
lection call'd O Du VEGAN'S, folio 190. a, now or late in the
possession of the right honourable the Earl of CLANRIO
KARD. There are copies of it elsewhere, but that's the
oldest known.

(84) Teagarg Riogh.
'35* CAIRBRB

88 THE HISTORY

to us, tho' not alway rightly taking the usages of o-
ther nations : as it must needs be from a full convic-
tion of the Druidical fraudulent superstitions, and bar-
barous tyranny exercis'd over the credulous people,
that these same Romans, who tolerated all religions,
yet supprest this institution in Gaule and Britain, with
the utmost severity. The Druids however were not
immediately extinguish'd, but only their barbarous,
tyrannical, or illusory usages. And indeed their hu-
man sacrifices, with their pretended Magic, and an
authority incompatible with the power of the magi-
strate, were things not to be indured by so wise a state
as that of the Romans. In the second place, the
Greec colony of Marseilles, a principal mart of Learn-
ing, could not want persons curious enough, to ac-
quaint themselves with the Religion, Philosophy, and
Customs of the country, wherein they liv'd. STRABO
and others give us an account of such. From these
the elder Greecs had their information, not to speak
now of the Gauls seated in Greece it self and in Les-
ser Asia, as the later Greecs had theirs from the. Ro-
mans ; and, by good fortune, we have a vast number
of passages from both. But, in the third place, among
the Gauls themselves and the Britons, among the
Irish and Albanian Scots, their IJistorians and Bards,
did always register abundance of particulars about the
Druids, whose affairs were in most things inseparable
from those of the rest of the inhabitants : as they
were not only the judges in all matters civil or re-
ligious, but in a manner the executioners too in crimi-

OF THE DRUIDS.

nal causes ; and that their sacrifices were very public,
•vliich consequently made their rites no less observable.
One thing which much contributed to make them
known j is, that the King was ever to have a Druid a-
bout his person ; t^ pray and sacrifice, as well as to be
judge for de terming emergent controversies, tho' he
had a civil judge besides. So he had one of the chief
Lords to advise him, a Bard to sing the praises of his
ancestors, a Chronicler to register his own actions, a
Physician to take care of his health, a Musician to in-
tertain him. Whoever was absent, these by law must
be ever present, and no fewer than three Controllers
of his family : which Decemvirate was the institution
of King CORMAC. The same custom was taken up by
all the Nobles, whereof each had about him his Druid,
Chief Vassal, Bard, Judge, Physician, and Harper; the
four last having lands assign'd them, which descended
to their families, wherein these professions were here-
ditary, as were their Marshal, and the rest of their of-
ficers. After the introducing Christianity, the Druid
was succeeded by a Bishop or Priest, but the rest con-
tinued on the antient foot : insomuch, that for a long
time after the English Conquest, the Judges, the Bards,
Physicians, and Harpers, held such tenures in Ireland.
The ODuvegans were the hereditary Bards of the
OKellies, the OClerys and the OBrodins were also
hereditary Antiquaries : the O Sheils and the O Can-
cans were such hereditary Doctors, the Maglanchys
such hereditary Judges, and so of the rest ; for more
examples, especially in this place, are needless : it

90 THE HISTORY

wou'd be but multiplying of names, without ever mak-
ing the subject clearer. Only I must remark here,
from the very nature of things, no less than from facts,
that, tho' CESX\R be silent about it, there were civil
Judges in Gaule just as in Ireland, yet under the direc-
tion and controll of the Druids. This has led many
to imagine, that, because the Druids influenced all,
there were therefore no other judges, which is doubt-
less an egregious mistake.

XV. Further, thoT the Druids were exemted from

bearing arms, yet they finally determined concerning
* Peace and War : and those of that order, who attend-
ed the King and the Nobles, were observed to be the
greatest make-bates and incendiaries ; the most averse
to Peace in Council, and the most cruel of all others
in Action. Some of them were ally'd to Kings, and
many of them were King's sons, and great numbers of
them cull'd out of the best families : which you see is
an old trick, but has not been always effectual enough
to perpetuate an order of men. This however made
Historians not to forget them, and indeed several of
them render'd themselves very remarkable; as the
Druid TROSDAN, who found an antidote against the
poyson'd arrows of certain Brittish invaders : (86)
CABADIUS, grandfather to the most celebrated cham-
pion (81) CUCULAND; (88)T±GES the father of MQR-

(86) CATHBAID.

(87) CUCHULAID.

(88) TADHG.

OF THE DRUIDS. 91

NA, mother to the no less famous (89 ) FIN MAC CUIL :
DADBR, who was kill'd by EOGAN, son to OLILL OLOM
King of Munster ; which EOGAN was marry'd to
MOINIC, the daughter of the Druid DILL. The Druid
MOGRUTH. the son of Sinduinn, was the stoutest man
in the wars of King CORMAC : nor less valiant was
(90) Dubcomar, the chief Druid of King FIACHA ;
and Lugadius Mac-Con the abdicated King of Ireland,
was treacherously run thro' the body with a lance by
the Druid (91) Firchisus. IDA and ONO, Lords of
Corcachlann near Roscommon, were Druids ; wherof
ONO presented his fortress of Imleach-Ono to Patric,
who converted it into the religious house of Elphin,
since an (92) Episcopal See. From the very name of
(93) LAMDERG, or Bloody-hand, we learn what sort
of man the Druid was, who by the vulgar is thought
to live inchanted in the mountain between Bunncranach
and (94) Fathen in the county of Dunegall. Nor must
we forget, tho' out of order of time, King (95)
NIALL of the nine hostage's Arch-Druid, by name (96)

(89) FINN MHAC CUBHAILL.

($0) DUBHCHOMAR.

{91} FEARCHIOS.

(•92) Ailfinn, from a vast Obelise that stood by a well m
that place ; and that fell down in the year 1675. The word
signifies the white Stone, and was corrupted into Qilfinn.
£ome wou'd derive the name from the clearness of the
fountain, but His by torture: others from one OILFINN, a
Danish commander.

(93) LAMBHDEARG.

(94) Taobhsaoil-treach.

(95) NIALL NAOIGHI-ALLACH.

(96) LAICIUCHIN MHAC BARRECHEADHA,

92 THE HISTORY ~

LAGICINUS BARCHEDIUS ; who procured a most cruel
war against EOCHA King of Munster, for committing
manslaughter on his son ; and which the Druids mak-
ing a common cause, there was no honor, law, or hu-
manity observ'd towards this King ; whose story, at
length in our book, will stand as a lasting monument
of Druidical bloodiness, and a Priest-ridden State. I
conclude with BACRACH, chief Druid to CONCHOBHAR
NESS AN King of Ulster, who is fabl'd by the Monks
long after the extinction of the Druids, to have before
it happen'd, others say at the very time, describ'd the
Passion of Jesus Christ, in so lively and moveing a
manner ; that the King transported with rage drew
his sword, and with inexpressible fury fell a hacking
and hewing the trees of the wood where he then was,
which he mistook for the Jews: nay, that he put him-
self into such a heat as to dy of this frenzy. But even
O Flaherty fully confutes this silly fiction, (97) not
thinking it possible that such circumstances cou'd be
any way inferred from an Eclipse, which is the foun-
dation of the story, noi that a clearer revelation shou'd
be made of those things to the Irish Druids, than to
the Jewish Prophets ; and, finally, by shewing, that
Conchobhar dy'd quietly in his bed fifteen years after
the crucifixion of Christ. BACRACH however was a
great man, and the King himself had a Druid for his
step-father and instructor.

XVI, It can be no wonder therefore, that men thus
(97) Ogyg.

OF THE DRUIDS. 93

sacred in their function, illustrious in their alliances,
eminent for their learning, and honoured for their valor,
as well as dreaded for their power and influence, should
also be 'memorable both in the poetry and prose of their
country. And so in fact they are, notwithstanding
what DUDLEY FORBES, before mention'd, did, in a let-
ter to an Irish writer, (98) in the year 1683, affirm:
namely, that, in PATRICKS time no fewer than 180 Vo-
lumes, relating to the affairs of the Druids, were burnt
in Ireland. Dr. KENNEDY says, (99) that PATRIC burnt
300 volumns, shift with the fables and superstitions of
Heathen Idolatry : unfit, adds he^ to be transmitted to
posterity. But, pray, how so? why are Gallic or Irish
superstitions more unfit to be transmitted to posterity,
than those of the Greecs ^and Romans ? Why shou'd
PATRIC be more squeamish in this respect than MOSES
or the succeding Jewish Prophets, who have transmit-
ted to all ages th* Idolatries of the Egyptians, Pheni-
cians, Caldeans, and other Eastern nations ? What an
irreparable destruction of history, what a deplorable
extinction of arts and inventions, what an unspeakable
detriment to Learning, what a dishonor upon human
understanding, has the cowardly proceeding of the ig-
norant, or rather of the interested, against unarm'd
monuments at all times occasion'd! And yet this book-
burning and letter-murdring humor, tho' far from being
commanded by CHRIST, has prevailed in Christianity

(98) O FLAHERTY.

(99) Dissertation about the Family of the STUARTS, Pref,
page 29.

94 THE HISTORY

from the beginning : as in the Acts of the Apostles we
read, (100} that many of them which believ'd-and us'd
curious arts, brought their books together, and burnt
them before all men ; and they counted the price of them9
and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver, or about
three hundred pounds sterling. This was the first in-
stance of burning books among Christians ; and ever
since that time the example has been better follow'd,
then any precept of the Gospel.

XVIL From what we have hitherto observ'd, you
see that our Historians, My Lord, do, in spite of all
chances, abound with matter enough to revive and il-
lustrate the memory of the Druids. Besides that the
rites and opinions of other nations serve not only to
give light to theirs, but were many of them of Druidi-
cal or Celtic extraction. This no body will deny of
the Aboriginal Italians, who having been often over-
run by the Gauls, and having several Gallic Colonies
planted among them, they partook both of their Lan-
guage and Religion ; as will be very easily evinc'd in
our Dissertation, and has been already tolerably done
by father PEZRON in his Celtic Originals. Diogenes
Laertius, in the Proem of his Philosophical History,
reckons the Druids among the chief Authors of the
Barbarous Theology and Philosophy, long anterior to
the Greecs, their disciples: andPhurnutus, in his treatise
of the nature of the Gods, says most (101) expresly, that
(100) Acts 19. 19.

(101) Tou de pollas kai poikilas peri theon g-egonenai para tois palaiois Hel-
lesi mjthopoias, hos allai men epi Magois gcgonasin, allai de par' aigyptiois

OF THE DRUIDS. 95

among the many and various fables which the antient
Greecs had about the Gods, some were derived from the
Mages, some from the Egyptians and Gauls, others
from the Africans and Phrygians, and others from o-
ther nations : for which he cites Homer as a witness,
nor is there any thing that bears a greater witness to
it self. This however is not all : for, over and above
the several helps I have mention'd, there are likewise
numerous monuments of the worship of the Druids,
their valor, policy, and manner of habitation, still re-
maining in France, in Britain, in Ireland, and in the
adjacent Islands ; many of Jem intire, and the rest by
the help of these easily conceiv'd. Most are of stone,
as the lesser ones are of glass, and others of earth bak'd
extremely hard. The two last kinds were ornaments
or magical gems, as were also those of Chrystal and
Agat, either perfectly spherical, or in the figure of a
lentill ; or shap'd after any of the other ways, which
shall be describ'd and portray'd in our book. The
Glass Amulets or Ornaments are in the Lowlands of
Scotland, call'd Adder-stanes, and by the Welsh Gleini
na Droedh, or Druid-Glass, which is in Irish Glaine
nan Druidhe, Glaine in this language signifying Glass,
tho' obsolete now in the Welsh dialect, and preserv'd
only in this Gleini na Droedh. But the more massy
Monuments shall, in a day or two, be the subject of
another Letter from, My LORD,

Your Lordship's most oblig'd and very
June 25, 1718. Humble Servant.

kai Keltois, kai Libysi, kai Phryxi, kai tois allois ethnesi. Cap. 17. Thus the
-Munusoipt very accurately:- f>iit the printed c^py has tois allois Hellesi superflu-
ously in the end, and wants Phvjx. before, which is very essential.

THE SECOND

LETTER,

To the Eight Honourable the Lord
VISCOUNT MOLESWORTH.

Jt ERMIT me at this time, My Lord, according to the
promise with which I concluded my last, to send to
your Lordship A Specimen of the Monuments relating
to the Druids, that are still extant, either intire or im-
perfect. I have ever indeavour'd to avoid deserving
the blame, with which an approv'd author charges
those ; who, while veiy conversant in the history of o-
ther places, appear to be absolute strangers in their
own country : and as I know no man better versed in
foren affairs or in our own, which an able statesman
will never separate, nor a greater master of antient or
modern history than yourself ; so I am apt to hope,
that the collection of Brittish and Irish Antiquities I
here take the liberty to present to your Lord-
ship, may not prove altogether disagreeable. The
French examples, a few excepted, I reserve for the
larger work, and in the mean time I precede. On the
tops of mountains and other eminences in Ireland, in
Wales, in Scotland, in the Scottish Hands and in the
lie of Man, where things have been least disorder'd or
displac'd by the frequency of inhabitants, or want of
better ground for cultivation, there are great heaps of

OF THE DRUIDS.

stones, like the(l)MERcuRiAL heaps (2) of the Greecs,
whereof when we treat of the Celtic MERCURY in par-
ticular. The heaps, which make my present subject,
consist of stones of all sorts, from one pound to a
hundred. They are round in form, and somewhat ta-
pering or diminishing upwards : but on the summit
was always a flat stone, for a use we shall presently
explain. These heaps are of all bignesses, some of
them containing at least a hundred cartload of stones :
and if any of 'em be grown over with earth, 'tis pure-
ly accident in the long course of time wherein they
have been neglected ; for HO such thing was intended
In the first making of them, as in the sepulchral bar-
rows of the Gothic nations, which are generally of
earth. Such a heap is in the antient Celtic language,
and in every dialect of it, call'd CARN ; and every
Cam so dispos'd, as to be in sight of some other. Yet
th«y are very different from the rude and much smaller
pyramyds, which the old Irish erect along the roads in
memory of the dead, by them call'd Leachda, and made
of the first stones that offer. From the devotional
rounds performed about the Cams in times of Heathen-
ism, and which, we shall see anon, are jet continued
in many places of the Scottish Highlands and the He-
brides, any circle, or turning about, is in Armoric call-
ed cern (3) as CERNA in that dialect is to make such a

(1) Prossoreuousi de tous lilhous tois Hermais herastos ton parion on ; hena
t:n;i autnis prostetheis, &c. PnunNUT. dc Ndt, Dor. cap, lo«

(2) Kermaia, i. e. Acervi Mercuriales,

(3) C is pronounc'd as A'.

98 THE HISTORY

turn. On the Cam call'd Qng-y-dyrn, in the parish
of Tre'lech in Carmarthenshire, the flat stone on the
top is three yards in length, five foot over, and from
ten to twelve inches thick. The circumference of this
Carn at the bottom is about sixty yards, and 'tis about
six yards high ; the ascent being very easy, tho' I sup-
pose there was originally a ladder for this purpose.

II. Let this Carn serve for an example of the rest,
as to their form and bulk ; only we may take notice
here by the way, what odd imaginations men are apt
to have of things they do not understand. Thus Mr.
WILLIAM SACHEVERELL, Governor of the He of Man
under the right honorable the Earl of Derby in part
of King William's reign, mistaking these Cams in his
(4) Description of that Hand, " The tops of the moun-
« tains (says he), seem nothing but the rubbish of na-
* ture, thrown into barren and unfruitful heaps, as
" near two thirds of the Hand are of this sort. Some
" seem particularly worthy our remark, as the two Ba-
« rowls, Skeyall, the Watch-hill of Knock-a-low : but
Gi particularly Sneafeld, where it is not unpleasant,"
(continues he), " when the weather is clear and se-
w rene, to see three noble nations surrounding one of
" the most obscure in the universe : which is, as it were,
« the center of the Brittish empire." These heaps our
author thought the work of chance, tho' artfully con-
triv'd in all the Celtic countries ; as Dr. MARTIN
thought a Carn in the He of SAINT*!ULDA, wherof pre-
14) Page 13.

s«

OF THE DRUIDS. 99

sentry, to be a signal effect of Providence : But as for
the Mannian nation, which is visibly the center of the
Brittish world, it is very undeservedly become obscure,
whether we consider wha,t has been transacted in for-
mer ages, it having been the theater of many surpriz-
ing revolutions : or the particular usages in religious
and civil affairs, that even now obtain there, especially
their laws, which still continue mostly unwritten, for
which reason they call them Breast-laws, being with-
out expense or delay, and undoubted remains of the
justice of the Druids. For, wherever they were not
themselves a party, neither the Egyptians, nor Persians,
nor Greecs, nor Romans, did surpass the wisdom, e-
quity, and strictness of the Druids in the sanction or
execution of their laws ; which made all sorts of men
leave their controversies of every kind to their deter-
mination, without any further appeal. Nor without some
regard in fact, and a vast deal more in profession, to
moral virtue, cou'd any set of Impostors in any count-
ry possibly support their false doctrines and supersti-
tious observances ; which receive credit from hence, as
the teachers of 'em do all their power and authority,
in proportion to the austerities they practise, or the ap-
pearances they have of devotion. I say appearances,
because this in most, join'd to real self-denial in a few,
who by the rest are deem'd silly tho' useful creatures,
will long uphold an institution both erroneous and ty-
rannical : which is the reason that, to this hour, the
memory of the Druids is highly venerable among those
of the He of Man ; and that their laws are infinitely

100 i THE HISTORY

preferr'd to all others by the Manksmen, who say the
family of Derby comes nearest their excellence of any
race of men now in the world. Wherefore, as well in
these regards, as in many others essential to my de-
sign, I shall, in the body of the history, give a true idea
of the past and present customs of this antientr though^
mixt people. Their numerous Cams, of whose origin
anon, are not the onely monuments they have of the
Druids. Bufe that the chief College of these Philoso-
phers was ever established there, and much less any
such College- appointed by the Kings of Scotland, as
Hector Boethius feigivcf, I shall demonstrate to be pure
romance : and at the same time will not fail doing jus-
tice to the memory of the greatHero and Legislator of the
Hand, MANANNAN ; reported, after the manner of those
ages, to have been the Son of (5) LEAR, or the God of
the Sea, from his extraordinary skill in navigation and
commerce. He was truely the son of (6) ALLADIUS,
who was of royal blood, and Is own name Orbsen ; but
call'd Manannan from his country, and kill'd by one
ULLIN near Galway, in Ireland: of all which the par-
ticulars will be given in their proper place, especially
the Republic of 'MAN ANN AN ; who, from his instruction?
by the Druids, was reputed a consummate Magician,
and was indeed most happy in stratagems of war both
by land and sea. Mr. Sacheverell, except in affirming-
Manannan, whom he mis-names Mannan, to have beea

(5) MANANNAN MHAC LEIR. • t
(G) ALLAID*

OF THE DRUIDS. iOI

(1) the father, founder, and legislator of the Hand, is
out in every thing he says concerning him : for, in-
stead of living about the beginning of the fifth century,
he liv'd as many centuries before Christ ; and so cou'd
not be contemporary with Patric, the Apostle of Man
as well as Ireland, Neither was Manannan the son of a
King of Ulster, nor yet the brother of FERGUS II. (8)
King of Scotland : and as for his not being able to get
any information what became of him, I have already
told that he was kill'd in Ireland, and by whom,

III. In process of time the Cams, to which we now
return, serv'd every where for beacons, as many of them
as stood conveniently for this purpose : but they were
originally design'd, as we are now going to see, for
fires of another nature. The fact stood thus. On May-
eve the Druids made prodigious fires on those Cams,
which being every one, as we said, in sight of some o-
ther, cou'd not but afford a glorious show over a whole
nation. These fires were in honour of Beal or Bealan,
latiniz'd by the Roman authors into (9) Belenus, by
which name the Gauls and their colonies understood the
Sun : and therefore to this hour the first day of May
is by the Ab-original Irish call'd La Bealteine, or the
dayofRelejisfire (10). I remember one of those Cams

(7) Page 20.

(8) Ibid.

(9) Herodiin. Auson. Capitolin. Tertul. $c. Videantur
ctiam Gruter. et Reines. in Inscriptionibus.

(10) Etiam Bealltaine, # antiquitus Belfeine.

102 THE HISTORY

on Fawn-hill within some miles of Londonderry, known
by no other name but that of Bealteine, facing another
such Cam on the top of Inch-hill : and GREGORY of
Tours, in his book de Gloria Confessorum, mentions a
(11) hill of the same name (12) between Artom and
Kiom in Auvergne in France, from which Rioni
might be fairly view'd. But tho' later writers affirm
with Valesius, in his Galliarum notiiia, this hill
to be now unknown; yet Helen's heap on the top of it, is
a sure mark whereby to discover it. His circular tem-
ple, as we shall see hereafter, is still there, if not the
the Carn, having certainly existed in Gregory's time.
Abundance of such heaps remain still on the mountains
in France, and on the Alps. Those writers however are
not to be blamed, as being strangers to the origin or
use of such heaps ; and not able to distinguish them
from certain other heaps, under which robbers and
traitors were bury'd. These last are calTd in general
by the Welsh Carn-Vraduyr and Carn-Lhadron (IS) ;
or particularly after the proper names of the underly-
ing criminals, as Carnedh-Leuelyn, Carnedh-David,
and such like. As far from Auvergne as the Hand of
Saint KILDA, in the 58th degree of northern latitude,
there is another hill denominated from Belenus, which
more consonant to the Celtic idiom Herodian (14.)

(11) Cum [ex Artonensi vico] venisset in, cacumen montis
Belenatensis, de quo vici Ricomagenxis pvsitio cuntewplatur9
mdit hos, $c. De Gloria Confessor, cap. 5.

(12) Mons Belenatensis.

(13) Traitor and thiefs Carn : in Irish Carn-bhrateoir
& Cam an Ladroin.

(14) Lib. 8. Cap. 7.

OF THE DRUIDS. 103

writesJBelin, corruptly call'd Otter-Veaul(\5),or Belerfs
heigth ; on which is a vast heap, whereof Doctor Mar-
tin, in his account of that Hand, did not know the use,
as I said before (16) : but the Carn being on the hill
just above the landing place, he thinks it so order'd by
Providence ; that by rouling down these stones, the in-
habitants might prevent any body's coming ashore
against their will. In the church of Birsa, near which
stands a very remarkable Obelise, at the west end of
the Hand call'd Pomona, or the mainland, in Orkney,
there is an erect stone, with the word BELUS inscribed
on it in antient characters. Yet whether this be any
remembrance of BELENUS, better according to the Irish
idiom BELUS, or be the Monument of a native Prince
so call'd, I shall not here decide. The fact it self is
told us by Mr. BRAND (17), in his Description of Ork-
ney and Zetland. I wish he had also told us, of what
kind those antient characters are, or that he had exact-
ly copy'd them : and if there be a man's portraiture on
the stone; as Dr. Martin affirms (18), the dress and
posture will go a great way towards clearing the
matter.

IV. But to make no longer digression, May-day is
likewise call'd La Bealteine by the Highlanders of
Scotland, who are no contemtible part of the Celtic

(15) UachdarBHEtL.

(16) Page 64.

(17) Page 14.

(18) Page 358.

104 THE HISTORY

off-spring. So it is in the He of Man : and in Armoric
a Priest is still call'd Belec, or the servant of Bel, and
Priesthood Belegieth. Two such fires, as we have
mention'd, were kindl'd by one another on May-eve in
every village of the nation, as well throout all Gaule,
as in Britain, Ireland, and the adjoining lesser Hands,
between which fires the men and the beasts to be sa-
crific'd were to pass ; from whence came the proverb,
between Bel's (19) two fires, meaning one in a great
strait, not knowing how to extricate himself. One of
the fires was on the Carn, another on the ground. On
the eve of the first day of November (20), there were
also such fires kindl'd, accompany'd, as they constantly
were, with sacrifices and feasting. These November
fires were in Ireland call'd Tim tlach'd-gha, from
tlach'd-gha (21), a place hence so call'd in Meath,
where the Arch-Druid of the realm had his fire on the
said eve ; and for which piece of ground, because origi-
nally belonging to Munster, but appointed by the su-
preme Monarch for this use, there was an annual ac-
knowledgement, call'd sgreaboll, paid to the King of
that Province. But that all the Druids of Ireland as-
sembl'd. there on the first of November, as several
authors injudiciously write ; is not only a thing impro-
bable, but also false in fact : nor were they otherwise
there at that time, nor all at any time together in one
place, but as now all the Clergy of England are said

(19) Ittir dha theine BHEIL.
(f^0) Samhbhuin.
(21) Fire-ground.

OF THE DRUIDS. 105

to be present in their Convocations ; that is, by their
representatives and delegates. Thus Cesar is likewise
to be understood, when, after speaking of the Arch-
Druid of Gaule, he says that (22) the Druids at a cer-
tain time of the Year assembled in a consecrated grove
in the country of the Carnutes (23), ivhich is reckoned
the middle region of all Gaule. But of these assemblies
in their place. On the foresaid eve all the people of
the country, out of a religious persuasion instill'd into
them by the Druids, extinguish'd their fires as intirely;
as the Jews are wont to sweep their houses, the night
before the feast of unleavened bread. Then every master
of a family was religiously oblig'd, to take a portion of
the consecrated fire home, and to kindle the fire a new
in his house, which for the ensuing year was to be lucky
and prosperous. He was to pay however for his future
happiness, whether the event prov'd answerable or not :
and tho' his house shou'd be afterwards burnt, yet he
must deem it the punishment of some new sin, or ascribe
it to any thing, rather than to want of virtue in the
consecration of the fire, or of validity in the benedic-
tion of the Druid ; who, from officiating at the Cams,
was likewise call'd (24) Cairneach, a name that con-
tnuTd to signify a Priest, even in the Christian times.

(22) //' [Dm icles"] ccrto anni tempore iriftnibus Carnut;
quae regio totius Galfiae media habctur, consMunt ih
consecrato. De hello Gallico. lib. 6. cap. 1

(C3) Now U P ' ais Chartrain, the place? ' J&reux.

(94) This is the true origin of the Uvwrd Qairnettcli,
signifying a Priest : but not deriv'd, as men ignorant of

10(5 THE HISTORY

But if any man had not clear'4 with the Druids for the
last year's dues, he was neither to have a spark of this
holy fire from the Carns, nor durst any of his neighbors
let him take the benefit of theirs, under pain of Ex-
communication ; which, as managed by the Druids,
was worse than death. If lie wou'd brew therefore or
bake, or roast or boil, or warm himself and family, in
a word, if he wou'd live the winter out, the Druids
dues must be paid' by the last of October : so that this
trick alone waa: mare effectual, than are all the Acts
of Parliament nm-ie for recovering our present Cler-
gy's dues : whicfr Acts are so many and so frequent,
that the bare enumeration of them wou'd make an
indifferent volume Wherefore I cannot but admire
the address of the Druids, in fixing this ceremony
of rekindling family-fires to the beginning of Novem-
ber, rather than to May or Midsummer, when there
was an equal opportunity for it.

V. A world of places (25) are denominated from
those Carns of all sorts, as in- Wales C or n-Lhe chart,
Carn-Lhaid ; in Scotland Cam- Wath, Carn-tullock>
Drum-cairn, Glen-cairn ; in Ireland Cam-mail, Cam-
aret, Carnan-tagher, Carnan-tober (26) ; and in Nor-
thumberland, as in other parts of the North of Eng-
land, they are sometimes call'd Laws or Lows, a name

aatiquity fancy, from Coroinectch, nlluding to the crown-
forin'd tonsure of the Monks, not near so old as this word.

(25) The places are numberless in all these countries.,

(26) Carnan is the diminutive of Cam*

"OF THE DRUIDS. lor

they also give the Gothic Barrows. The Lowland
Scots call 'em in the plural number Cairns, whence se-
. veral Lordships are nam'd, as one in Lennox, another
in Galloway, to mention no more, from which the sur-
name of CAIRNS. The family of CARNE, in Wales, is
from the like original.: but siot, as some have thought,
the OK.EARNYS (27) of Ireland ; one of which, Mr,
JOHN KEARNY, Treasurer of Saint PATRICKS in Dublin,
was very instrumental in getting the New Testament
translated into Irish, about the end of the last century
but one. As to this fire-worship, which, by the way,
prevail'd over all the world-, the Celtic nations kind-
led other fires on midsummer eve, which are still con-
tinued by the Roman Catholics of Ireland ; making
them in all their grounds, and carrying flaming brands
about their Corn-fields. This they do likewise all o-
ver France, and in some of the Scottish lies. These
Midsummer fires and sacrifices, w«ere to obtain a bles-
sing on the fruits of the earth, now becoming ready for
gathering ; as those of the first of May, that they
might prosperously grow : and those of the last of Oc-
tober, were a Thanksgiving for finishing their Harvest.
But in all of 'em regard was also had to the several de-
grees of increase and decrease in the heat of the Sun ;
as in treating of their Astronomy, and -manner
reckoning time, we shall clearly chow. Their ether
treals, with their peculiar observations, shall be likewi:^
explain'd each in their proper Sections ; especially i
of New-years day, or the tenth of March., their fourth

(27) 0 lucarAaig/t/besides QCcatharnaigh.

108 THE HISTORY

grand festival, which was none of the least solemn : and
which was the day of seeking, cutting, and consecra-
ting their wonder-working J^-te/? or Misselto of Oak.
This is the ceremony to which VIRGIL alludes by his
golden-branch, in the sixth book of the Aeneid, for
which there is incontestable proof, which we shall give
in a section on this subject. 'Tis PLINY who says, that
the Druids call'd it, in their language, by a word sig-
nifying (28) All-heal ; which word in the Armorican
dialect is oll-yach, in the Welsh ol-hiach, and in the
Irish Uil-iceach. Here by the way, we may observe,
that as the Greecs had many words from the Barbarians,
for which PLATO in his (29) Cratylus, judges it would
be lost labor to seek Etymologies in their own langu-
age : so it is remarkable, that certain feasts of APOLLO
were call'd (30) Carnea, from the killing of no body
knows what Prophet CARNUS. Some said that he was
the son of JUPITER and EUROPA, kill'd for a Magician
by one ALES ; and others yet, that Carni was a com-
mon name for an order of Prophets in Acarnania.
APOLLO himself was surnamed CARNUS (31) ; and, from
him, May was call'd the Carman Month. Nay there
were Carman Priests, and a particular kind of Music,
which we may interpret the Cairn-tunes, was appro-

(2S) Qmnia-sgn&ntem appellantes suo vocabufa, $c. Lib.
1C. Cap

(£9) "Ei tls zetoi tauta kata t~n Helleniken plior.cn, hos coilotos I;eifai ; al-
ia :r.5 kat' ckeinpr, ex li^s to ono-.r/.i tyftgchanei' on, oitiiha hoti av:.
Inter opera, edit. Paris Vol. 1. P.IJ. -il

("Co Ta Kaniea. •

: Kuraoios .

OF THE DRUIDS. 109

priated to those festivals in May, perfectly answering
those of the Celtic tribes. It is therefore highly proba-
ble, that the Greecs did learn these things from the
Gauls their conquerors, and in many places seated
among them ; or from some of their travel lors in Gaule
it self; if not from the Phocean colony at Marseilles.
We know further, that the making of hymns was a
special part of the Bards office ; who by STRABO, are
expresly term'd Hymn-makers (32) : and I show'd be-
fore, that the antient Greecs, by their own confession,
learnt part of their Philosophy, and many of their sa-
cred fables, from the Gauls. So that this criticism is
not so void of probability, as many which pass current
enough in the world. However, I fairly profess to give
it onely for a conjecture ; which I think preferable to
the farr-fetcht and discordant accounts of the Greecs :
who, in spight of PLATO and good sense, wou'd needs
be fishing for the origin of every thing in their own
language. In the mean time it is not unworthy our
remark, that as (33) Priz es were adjudg'd to the Vic-
tors in this Carman Music among the Greecs : so the
distributing of Prizes to the most successful Poets, was
no less usual among the Gauls and their colonies ; where-
of there is undeniable proof in the Brittish and Irish
Histories, as will be seen in our Section concerning the
Bards.

VI. Another Criticism relating immediately to

(32) JhzmnGtai.

(33) Timotheos— ta Kar&cia agouizomenos. Plutarch, in Apophthegm.

liO THE HISTORY

APOLLO, for which I think this a proper place, I give
as something more than a conjecture. In the Lordship
of Merchiston, near Edinburgh, was formerly dug up a
stone with an Inscription to Apollo Grannus ; concern-
Ing which Sir James Dalrymple Baronet, in his second
edition of Cambderfs Description of Scotland, thus ex-
presses himself after his (31) author. Who this Apol-
lo Grannus might be, and whence he should have his
\ name, not one, to my knowledge, of our grave Senate
of Antiquaries hitherto cou'd ever tell. But if I
might be allowed, from out of the lowest bench, to
speak what I think ; I wou'd say that Apollo Grannus,
among the Romans, was the same that (35) Apollon Aker-
sekomes, that is, APOLLO with long hair, among the
Greecs : for ISIDORE calls the long hair of the Goths
GRANNOS. This consequence will by no means hold :
for what are the Goths to the Rom ans, who exprest this
Greec by mtonsus APOLLO ? And since Goths speak-
ing Latin had as little to do in the shire of Lothian,
it will not be doubted, but that it was some Roman
who paid this vow ; as soon as 'its known, that, besides
the man's name QUINTUS Lusius SAB INI AN us, Grian,
among the many (36) Celtic names of the Sun, was

(34) This passage in CAMBDEN is in the 897th page of
CHURCHILL'S edition, anno 1695.

(35) Appollon akcrsekoir.es item akeirekomes.

(36) Besides the Sun's religious attribute of BEL, HEAL,
BELIN, or BELENUS, it is calPd Hat/I in Welsh, //ov* in.
Cornish, Heul in Armoric; in all which the aspirate h is
put for s, as in a world of such oiher words : for aiw word
beginning with s in the autient Celtic, dees in the Oblique
cases begin with h. Yet s is still rctnin'd in the Armorio
Disul, in the Cambrian Qydhsye, and the Coruubian

OF THE DRUIDS. Hi.

one, being the common name of it still in Irish : and
that, from his beams, Greannach in the same language
signifies long-hair d, which is a natural epithet of the
Sun in all nations^ There is no need therefore of go-
ing for a Gothic derivation to Isidore, in whom now I
read Scots instead of Goths ; and not, as I fancy, with-
out very good reason, It wou'd be superfluous to produce
instances, the thing is so common, to show that the
Romans, to their own names of the Gods, added the
names or attributes under which they were invok'd ir>
the country,, where they happened on any occasion to
sojjourn. Nor was this manner of topical worship un-
known to the antient Hebrews, who are forbid to fol-
low it by Moses in these words : (37) Enquire not af-
ter their Gods, saying, how did these nations serve their
Gods ? even so will I do likewise. GRIA.N therefore
and GREANNACH explain the (38) Lothian Inscription

that is to say, Sunday. It was formerly Diasoil in Irish,
whence still remain Solus light, Soillse clearness, Soillseach
bright or sunny, Solleir manifest, and several more such.
'Tis nowcall'd Dia Domhnaigh, or Dies Dvminicus, accord-
ing to the general use of all Christians.

(.37) Deut. xii, 30.

(38) This Inscription, as given us by CAMBDEN from
Sir PETER YOUNG, preceptor to King JAMES VI, [for the.
Laird of Merchistou's Exposition of the Apocalyps I never
-. raris thus:

APOLLINI
GRANNO

Q. L us i.us.
SABINIA

KUS-

* Procurator,

112 THE HISTORY

very naturally, in the antient language of the Scots
themselves, spoken still in5 the Highlands and Western
lies, as well as in Ireland, without any need of having
recourse to Gothland, or other foren countries.

VII. To return to our Cam-fires, it was customary
for the Lord of the place, or his son, or some other
person of distinction, to take the entrals of the sacri-
fic'd animal in his hands, and walking barefoot over
the coals thrice, after the flames had ceas'd, to carry
them strait to the Druid, who waited in a whole skin
at the Altar. If the Nobleman escap'd harmless, it
was reckon'd a good omen, welcomed with loud accla-
mations : but if he receiv'd any hurt, it was deem'd
unlucky both to the community and to himself. Thus
I have seen the people running and leaping thro' the
St. John's fires in Ireland, and not onely proud of pas-
sing unsing'd : but, as if it were some kind of lustra-
tion, thinking themselves in a special manner blest by
this ceremony, of whose original nevertheless they
were wholly ignorant in their imperfect imitation of it.
Yet without being appriz'd of all this, no reader, how-
ever otherwise learned, can truely apprehend the be-
ginning of the Consul FLAMINIUS'S speech to EQU AN-
US the Sabin, at the battle of ThraL*imenus, thus intel-
ligently related by (39) SILIUS ITALICUS.

Aua* * Augusti.

V. S. S. L. V. M * * Votum susceptum solvit

Mubens merito.

(39) Turn Soracte satum, praestantem corpora ct armis9

OF THE DRUIDS. 113

Then seeing Eg u AN us, near Soracte born,
In person, as in arms, the comely est youth ;
Whose country manner *tis-9 when thy archer keen
Divine Avo^LOJoys in burning HEAPS,
The sacred Entrals throy the f re unhurt
To carry thrice : so may you always tread,
With unscorclidfeet, the consecrated coals ;
And o'er the heat victorious, swiftly bear
The solemn gifts to plcas'd APOLLO'S Altar*

Now let all the Commentators on this writer be con-
sulted, and then it will appear what sad guess-work
they have made about this passage ; which is no less
true of an infinite number of passages in other authors
relating to such customs: for a very considerable part of
Italy followed most of the Druidical rites, as the in-
habitants of such places happened to be of Gallic ex-
traction, which was the case of many Cantons in that
delicious country. But this is particularly true of the
Umbrians and S'abins, who are by all authors made
the (40) antientest people of Italy, before the coming
thither of any Greec Colonies. But they are by (41)

AEQUANUM noscens; patrio cui ritus in arvo,
J)utn plus Accitenens incensis gaudet ACERVIS9
Exta ter innocuos late portare per ignes :
Sic in APOLLINEA semper vestigia pruna
Inmolata ter as ; victorque vaporis, ad aras *
Dona serenato referas Solennia PHQSBO.

Lib. 5. ver. 175. /

(40) Dionys* Halicarnass. Antiq. Rom. lib, 1. Plin»
Hist. Nat. lib/3, cap. 14. Flor. lib. 1. cap. 17, &c.

(41) BOCCHUS absolvit Gallorum veterttm propaginem
Umbros esse, Polyhist. cap. 8.

114 THE HISTORY

Solinus from the historian Bocchus, by (42) Servius from
the elder Marc Antony, by (4<3) Isidore also and (44)
TZETZES, in direct -terms stil'd the issue of the antient
Gauhi or a branch of them : and Dionysius Halicar-
nasseus, the most judicious of Antiquaries,, proves- out
of Zcnodotus, that the Sabins were descendants of the
Umbrians ; or, (45) as he expresses it, Umbrians un-
der the name of Sabins. The reason I am so particu-
lar on this head, is, that the mountain (46) Soracte is
in the Sabin country, in the district of the Faliscans,
about twenty miles to the north of Rome, and on the
west side of the Tyber.. On the top of it were the
Grove and Temple of APOLLO, and also his Carn (47),
to which SILIUS, in the verses just quoted out of him,
alludes. PLINY has preserved to us the very (48)
name of the .particular race of people, to which the
performing of the above described annual ceremony be-

(42) Sane Umbros Qallorum vcierum propaginem esse>
MARCUS ANTONIUS refert. In lib. 1-2. Aeneid. ante fin.

(43) Umbri Italiae gens est, sed Gallorum veterum pro-
pago. Origin, lib. 9. cap. 2.

(44) Ombroi genos Galaticon e Galaton. Schol. in Lycophrwi. Alex, c.d
ver. 1360.

(45) Sabinous ex Ombrikon. Antiq. Rom. lib. 1.

(46) Now Monte di San sylvestro.

(47) Acervus.

(48) Hand procul urbe Roma, in Faliscorum agro fami-
liae sunt paucae, quae vocantur HIRPI^E ; quaeque aacrificio
annuo, quod ft ad montem Soracte APOLLINI, super ambus-
tarn ligni struem ambulantes, non aduruntur: tt ub id pcr-pe-
tuo senatus consulto militiae, aliorumque munerum, vacatio*
nem habent. Hist. Nat. lib. 2, cap. 2. Idem ex todem Sulin
Polyhist. cap. &

OF THE DRUIDS. 115

longed : nor was it for nothing that they ran the risk
of blistering their soles, since for this they were exemted
from serving in the wars, as well as from the expense
and Iroble of several offices. They were called HIR-
PINS. VIRGIL, much elder than SILIUS or I'LINY, in-
troduces AHUNS, one of that family, forming a design
to kill CAMILLA, and thus praying for success to A-

POLLO,

0 patron O/SORACTE'S high abodes,

PHEBUS, the ruling pow'r among the Gods!

Whom first we serve, whole woods of unctuous pine

Earn on thy HEAP, and to thy glory shine:

By thee protected, with our naked soles

Thro flames unsingd we pass, and tread the Jri/idl'd coals.

Give me, propitious pow'r, to wash away

The stains of this dishonourable day (49J'.

DIIYDEN*S Version.

A Celtic Antiquary, ignorant of the origin of the Um-
brians and Sabins, wou'd imagine, when reading what
past on Soracte, that it was some Gallic, Brittish, or
Irish mountain, the rites being absolutely the same.
We do not read indeed in our Irish books, what pre-
servative against fire was used by those, who ran bare-
foot over the burning coals of the Cams : and, to be
sure, they wou'd have the common people piously be-

(49) Summe Dewn, sancii cuslos Soractis, APOLLO,
Quern primi colimus, cui pineus ardor ACERlfUt
Pascitur; et medium, freti pietate, per ignem
Cultores multa premimds vestigia pruna :
Da, pater, hoc nwtris auoleri dedccus ar/nis.

Aen. lib, 11. ver. 7S5,

116 THE HISTORY

lieve they used none. Yet that they really 'did, no less
than the famous fire-eater, whom I lately saw making
so great a figure at London, men of penetration and
uncorrupted judgements will never question. But we
are not merely left to our judgements, for the fact is
sufficiently attested by that prodigy of knowledge, and
perpetual opposer of Superstition, MARCUSVARRO; who,
as SERVIUS on the above-cited passage of VIRGIL af-
firms (50), described the very ointment of which the
HIRPINS made use, besmearing their feet with it, when
they walked thro' thejire, - Thus at all times have the
multitude, that common prey of Priests and Princes,
be&n easily gulFd ; swallowing the secrets of Natural
Philosophy for Divine Miracles, and ready to do the
greatest good or hurt, not under the notions of vice or
virtue : but barely as directed by men, who find it
their interest to deceive them.

VIII. But leaving the Druids for a while, there
are over and above the Cams, in the Highlands- of
Scotland, and in the adjacent lies numberless OBE-
LISCS, or stones set up on end ; some thirty, some
twenty-four foot high ; others higher or lower : and
this sometimes where no such stones are to be dug,
Wales being likewise full of them ; and some there are
in the least cultivated parts of England, with very
many in Ireland. In most places of this last kingdom,

(50) Sed YAIUIO, ubinuc-Religionis cxpugrtator, ait, cum
cjitoddammcdicamtntum describerct, eo uti solent H1RPINI,
qui ambulaturi per ignem, medieamento Plantas tingunt.
Ad ver. 787, lib. 11. Aeneid.

OF THE DRUIDS. 117

the common people believe these Obelises to be men,
transformed into stones by the Magic of the Druids.
This is also the notion the vulgar have in Oxford-
shire of Roll-wright stones, and in Cornwall of the
Hurlers ; erect stones so call'd, but belonging to a
different class from the Obelises, whereof I now dis-
course. And indeed in every country the ignorant
people ascribe to the Devil or some supernatural power,
at least to Giants, all works which seem to them to
excede human art or ability. Thus among other things,
for recording their traditions will have its pleasure as
well as usefulness, they account for the Roman Camps
and Military Ways, calling such the DeviVs-Dykes, or
the like : while the more reasonable part are persuad-
ed, that the erect stones of which we speak, are the
Monuments of dead persons, whose ashes or bones are
often found near them ; sometimes in Urns, and some-
times in Stone-coffins, wherein scales, hammers, pieces
of weapons, and other things have been often found,
some of them very finely gilt or polish'd. Dogs also
have been found bury'd with their masters. The
erect stones in the midst of stone-circles, whereof be-
fore I have done, are not of this funeral sort ; nor does
it follow, that all those have been erected in Christian
times, which have Christian Inscriptions or Crosses on
them : for we read of many such Obelises thus sancti-
fy'd, as they speak, in Wales and Scotland. And, in
our Irish Histories, we find the practice as early as

US THE HISTORY

PATRIC himself; who, having built the Church ot
Donach-Patric on the brink of Loch-Placket (5 1 ) in the
county of Clare, did there on three Colosses, erec-
ted in the times of Paganism, inscribe the proper
name of CHRIST in three languages : namely, JESUS in
Hebrew on the first, SOTER in Greec on the second, and
SALVATOR in Latin on the third. That Obelise, if I
may call it so, in the Parish of Barvas, in the Hand of
Lewis in Scotland, call'd the Thrushel-stone, is very
remarkable ; being not onely above twenty foot high,
which is yet surpass'd by many others : but likewise
almost as much in breadth, which no other comes
near.

IX. Besides these Obelises, there is a great num-
ber of FORTS in all the lies of Scotland, very different
from the Danish and Norwegian Raths in Ireland, or
the Saxon and Danish Burghs in England : nor are
they the same with the Gallic, Brittish, and Irish Lios,
pronounc'd Lis (52) ; which are fortifications inade
of un wrought stones and uncemented, whereof there ,
are two very extraordinary in the lies of Aran, in the
Bay of Galway in Ireland. Dim is a general Celtic
word for all fortifications made on an eminence, and
the eminences themselves are so call'd ; as we see in
many parts of England, and the Sand-hills on the Bel-

(51) Formerly Domhtiacli-mor and Loch-sealga.

(52) L?os in Irish, Les in Annoric, and Lhys in Welsh,
ignifies in English a Court ; as Lis-Luhi, Lynscourt.

OF THE DRUIDS.

gic Coast. Yet Rath and Lls are often confounded
together, both in the speech and writing of the Irish.
But the Forts in question are all of wrought stone, and
often of such large stones, as no number of men cou'd
ever raise to the places they occupy, without the use of
Engines ; which Engines are quite unknown to the
present inhabitants, and to their ancestors for many ages
past. There's none of the lesser lies, but has one Fort
at least, and they are commonly in sight of each a-
ther : but the Dun in St. KILDA, for so they call the
Old Fort there, is about eighteen leagues distant from
North Uist, and twenty from the middle of Lewis or
Harries, to be seen only in a very fair day like a blewish
mist : but a large fire there wou'd be visible at night,
as the ascending smoak by day. In this same He of
Lewis, where are many such Duns, there's north of the
village of Brago, a round Fort composed of huge
stones, and three stories high : that is, it has three
hollow passages one over another, within a prodigious
thick wall quite round the Fort, with many windows
and stairs. I give this onely as an example from Dr.
MARTIN an eye-witness, who, with several others,
mention many more such elsewhere : yet, which is a
great neglect, without acquainting us with their di-
mensions, whether those passages in the wall be
arch'd, or with many such things relating to the na-
ture of the work ; and omitting certain other circum-
stances, no less necessary to be known. I mention
these Forts, my Lord, not as any way, that I yet
know, appertaining to the Druids : but, in treating

120 THE HISTORY

of the Monuments truely theirs, I take this natural
occasion of communicating, what may be worthy
©f your Lordship's curiosity and consideration ; es-
pecially when, like Episodes in a Poem, they serve
to relieve the attention, and are not very foren
to the subject. Considering all things, I judge no
Monuments more deserving our researches ; especi-
ally, if any shou'd prove them to be Pheniciari
or Massilian Places of security for their commerce :
since 'tis certain that both People have traded there,
and that PYTHE AS of Marseilles, as we are informed
by STRABO> made a particular description of those
Hands ; to which CESAR, among other Descriptions,
without naming the authors, does doubtless (53)
refer. But my own opinion I think fit at pre-
sent to reserve.

X. From the conjectures I have about these
numerous and costly Forts, in Hands so remote
and barren, I pass to the certainty I have con-
cerning the TEMPLES OF THE DRUIDS,
whereof so many are yet intire in those Hands,
as well as in Wales and Ireland ; with some left
in England, where culture has mostly destroyed
or impair'd such Monuments. These Temples are
Circles of Obelises or erect stones, some larger,,

(53) In hoc medio ciirsu [inter Hiberniam scilicet & Bri-
taimiam] est insitla, quae appellatur Mona. Complures prae-
terea minores objectae insulae existimantur, de quibus insulis
norwulli scripserunt, dies continuos 30 $ub bruma esse noctem>
De Bello Gallico, lib. 5,

OF THE DRUIDS. 121

some narrower, as in all other Edifices, some more
and some less magnificent. They are for the great-
est part perfectly circular, but some of them semicir-
cular : in others the Obelises stand close together,
but in most separate and equidistant. I am not
ignorant that several, with Dr. CHARLTON in his
Stone-henge restored to the Danes, believe those
Circles to be Danish works ; a notion I shall easily
confute in due time, and even now as I go a-
long. But few have imagin'd 'em to be Roman,
as the famous Architect INIGO JONES wou'd needs
have this same Stone-henge, according to me one
of the Druid Cathedrals, to be the Temple of CE-
LUM or TERMINUS, in his Stone-henge restored to
the Romans. Nevertheless, My Lord, I promise you
no less than demonstration, that those Circles were
Druids Temples : against which assertion their fre-
quenting of Oaks, and performing no religious rites
without Oak-branches or Leaves, will prove no valid
exception ; no more than such Circles being found
in the Gothic countries, tho' without ALTARS, where-
of we shall speak after the Temples. The out-
side of the Churches in Spain and Holland is much
the same, but their inside differs extremely. As
for INIGO JONES, he cannot be too much commend-
ed for his generous efforts, which shows an uncom-
mon genius, to introduce a better taste of Architec-
ture into England, where 'tis still so difficult a thing
to get rid of Gothic Oddnesses ; and therefore 'tis
no wonder he shou'd continue famous., when so

THE HISTORY

few endeavour to excede him : but we must beg
his pardon, if, as he was unacquainted with His-
tory, and wanted certian other qualifications, we
take the freedom in our Book to correct his mistakes,

XL In the Hand of Lewis beforemention'd, at
the village of Classerniss, there is one of those
Temples extremely remarkable. The Circle con-
sists of twelve Obelises, about seven foot high
each,, and distant from each other six foot. In
the; center stands a stone thirteen foot high, in
the perfect shape of the rudder of a Ship. Directly
south from the -Circle* there stand four Obelises run-
ning out in a line ; as another such line due east,
and a third to the west, the number and distances of
the stones being in these wings the same : so that
this Temple, the most intire that can be, is at
the same time both round and wing'd. But to
the north there reach, by way of avenue, two
straight ranges of Obelises^ of the same bigness
and distances with those of the Circle; yet the
ranges themselves are eight foot distant, and each
consisting of nineteen stones, the thirty-ninth be-
ing in the entrance of the avenue.. This Tem-
ple stands astronomically, denoting the twelve signs
of the Zodiac and the four principal wrinds, sub-
divided each into four others ; by which, and the
nineteen stones on each side the avenue betoken-
iiig the Cycle of nineteen years, I can prove it
to have been dedicated principally to the Sun ;

OF THE DRUIDS. 3*3

but subordinately to the Seasons and the Ele-
ments, particularly to the Sea and the Winds,
as appears by the rudder in the middle. The
Sea, consider'd as a Divinity, was by the antient
Gauls call'd ANVANA or ONVANA, as the raging Sea
is still call'd Anafa in so many Letters by the Irish
(54) ; and both of 'em, besides that they were very
good Astronomers, are known to have paid honor
not only to the Sea, but also to the Winds and the
Tempests, as the (55) Romans were wont to do,
But of this in the account of their worship. I for-
got to tell you, that there is another Temple about
a quarter of a mile from the farmer ; and that com-
monly two Temples stand near each other, for rea-
sons you will see in our History. East of Drum-
cruy in the Scottish He of Aran, is a Circular
Temple, whose area is about thirty paces over :
and south of the same Village is such another
Temple, in the center of which still remains the
Altar ; being a broad thin stone, supported by
three other such stones. This is very extraordi-
nary, tho', as you may see in my last Letter, not

(54) They vulgarly call the sea mor or muir, mara, cuant
f dirge, &c.

(55) Sic fatus, meritos aris maciamt honorcs :
Taurum NEPTUNO, taurum tibi, pulcher APOLLO ;
Nigram HYEMI pecudem, ZEBtpyqis/dicibus albqm*

Aen. lib, 3,

Videatur etlam Horativs, Epod. 10. ver. ult. Cic. de nat,
Deer, lib, 3. Et Aristvph. in Ranis cum SUQ Scholiafte.

THE HISTORY

the onely example ; since the zeal of the Chris-
tians, sometimes apt to be over-heated, us'd to
leave no Altars standing but their own. In the
greatest Hand of (56) Orkney, commonly call'd the
Mainland, there are likewise two Temples, where
the natives believe by Tradition, that the Sun and
Moon were worshipt : which belief of theirs is very
right, since the lesser Temple is semi-circular. The
greater is one hundred and ten paces diameter.
They know not what to make of two green
Mounts erected at the east and west end of it :
a matter nevertheless for which it is not difficult
to account. There's a trench or ditch round each
of these Temples, like that about Stone-henge ;
and, in short, every such Temple had the like
inclosure. Many of the stones are above twenty or
twenty-four foot in heighth, above the ground, a-
bout five foot in breadth, and a foot or two in
thickness. Some of 'em are fallen down : and the
Temples are one on the east and the other on
the west side of the Lake of Stennis, where it
is shallow and fordable, there being a passage o-
ver by large stepping stones. Near the lesser
Temple, which is on the east side of the Lake,

(56) The lies of Orkney are denominated from Orcas or
Orca, which, in DIODORUS SICULUS and PTOLEMY, is the
antient name of Caithness; and this from Ore, not a salmon
fas by some interpreted] but a whale : so that in old Irish
Orc-i is the Whale Hands. The words of DIODORUS are,

To de Hypolipomenon (tes Bretanias) anekein men hiatorousin eis to pelagon,
ouomazestliai de Orcan. Lib. 4,

OF THE DRUIDS.

as the greater on the west, there stand two stones
of the same bigness with the (57) rest ; thro*
the middle of one of which there is a large hole,
by which criminals and victims were ty'd. Like-
wise in the Hand of Papa-Westra, another of the
Orkneys, there stand, near a Lake, now call'd St.
TR ED WELL'S (58) LOCH, two such Obelises, in one
of which there is the like hole ; and behind them
lying on the ground a third stone, being hollow
like a trough.

XII. These few I only give for examples out of
great numbers, as I likewise take the liberty to
acquaint you, My Lord, that' at a place call'd
Biscau-woon, near Saint Burien's in Cornwall, there
is a circular Temple consisting of nineteen stones,
the distance between each twelve foot ; and a
twentieth in the center, much higher than the
rest. But I am not yet informed, whether this
middle stone has any peculiar figure, or whether
inscrib'd with any characters ; for such characters
are found in Scotland, and some have been ob-
serv'd in Wales ; but, except the Roman and
Christian Inscriptions, unintelligible to such as have
hitherto seen them. Yet they ought to have been
fairly represented, for the use of such as might have
been able perhaps to explain them. They would
at least exercise our Antiquaries. The Circle of

(57) Brand, pag. 44.

(58) Brand, pag. 58.

126 THE HISTORY

Rollrich-stones in Oxfordshire, and the Hurlers in
Cornwall, are two of those Druid Temples. There
is one at^ Aubuiy in Wiltshire, and some left in
other places of England. In GREGORY of Tours
time there was remaining, and for ought I know
may still be so, one of those Temples on the
top of BELEN'S Mount, between Arton and Riom
in Auvergne. It was within this inclosure that
MARTIN, the sainted Bishop, stood taking a (59)
View of the country, as before mention'd. Now
of such Temples I shall mention here no more,
but procede to the Druids ALTARS, which, as
I said before, do ordinarily consist of four stones ;
three being hard flags, or large tho' thin stones,
set up edge-wise, two making the sides, and a
shorter one the end, with a fourth stone of the
same kind on the top : for the other end was
commonly left open, and the Altars were all ob-
long. Many of 'em are not intire. From some
the upper stone is taken away, from others one
of the side-stones or the end. And, besides the
alterations that men have caus'd in all these kinds
of Monuments, Time it self has chang'd 'em much
more. Mr. BRAND speaking of the Obelises in Ork-
ney, many of 'em, says (60) he, appear to be much
worn, by the washing of the wind and ram, luhich

(59) Extat nunc in hoc loco cancdlus, in quo Sanctus dt-
citur stttiste. Gregor, Turon. de Gloria Confessor, cap. 5.

(60) Pag. 46.

OF THE DRUIDS. 127

shows they are of a long standing : and it is very
strange to think, how, in those places and times,
they got such large stones carry 'd and erected. Tis
naturally impossible, but that, in the course of
so many ages, several stones must have lost their
figure ; their angles being exposed to all weathers,
and no care taken to repair any disorder, nor to
prevent any abuse of them. Thus some are be-
come lower, or jagged, or otherwise irregular and
diminished : many are quite wasted, and moss or
scurf hides the Inscriptions or Sculptures of others ;
for such Sculptures there are in seveial places,
particularly in Wales and the Scottish He of A-
ran. That one sort of stone lasts longer than another
is true : but that all will have their period, no
less than Parchment and Paper, is as true.

XIII.. There are a great many of the AL-
TARS to be seen yet intire in Wales, particu-
larly two in Kerig Y Drudion parish mentioned
in my other Letter, and one in Lhan-Hammulch
parish in Brecknockshire ; with abundance else-
where, diligently observ'd by one I mention'd in
my first Letter, Mr. EDWARD LHUYD, who yet was
not certain to* what use they were destin'd. Hera
I beg the favor of your Lordship to take it for
granted, that I have sufficient authorities fbr e-
very thing I alledge : and tho' I do not always
give them in this brief Specimen, yet in the his-
tory it self they shall be produc'd on every pro-

128 THE HISTORY

per occasion. The Druids Altars were commonly
in the middle of the Temples, near the great Co-
lossus, of which presently ; as there is now such
a one at Carn-Lhechart in the parish of Lhan-
Gyvelach in Glamorganshire, besides that which I
mentioned before in Scotland. They are by the
Welsh in the singular number calPd Kist-vaen,
that is a stone-chest, and in the plural Kistieu-vaen,
stone-chests. These names, with a small variation,
are good Irish : but the things quite different from
those real stone-chests or coffins, commonly of one
block and the lid, that are in many places found
under ground. The vulgar Irish call these Altars
(61) DERMOT and CRANIA'S bed. This last was the
Daughter of King CORMAC ULFHADA, and Wife
to (62) FIN MAC CUIL ; from whom, as invincible
a General and Champion as he's reported to have
been, she took it in her head, as women will some-
times have such fancies, to run away with a no-
bleman, call'd (63) DERMONT O DUVNY : but be-
ing pursu'd every where, the ignorant country people
say, they were intertain'd a night in every quar-
ter-land (6&) or village of Ireland ; where the in-
habitants sympathizing with their affections, and
doing to others what they wou'd be done untOj.

(61) Leaba DHIARMAIT agus GHRAINE.

(62) FINN MHAC CUBHAILL.

(63) DlARMAlT ODUIBHNE.

(64) Seisreach & Ceathrauihach, *

OF THE DRUIDS.

made these beds both for their resting and hid-
ing place. The Poets, you may imagine, have
not been wanting to imbellish this story : and hence
it appears, that the Druids were planted as thick
as Parish Priests, nay much thicker. Wherever
there's a Circle without an Altar, 'tis certain there
was one formerly ; as Altars are found where the Cir-
cular Obelises are mostly or all taken away for
other uses, or out of aversion to this superstition,
or that time has consum'd them. They, who, from
the bones, which are often found near those Al-
tars and Circles, 'tho' seldom within them, will
needs infer, that they were burying places ; for-
get what CESAR, PLINY, TACITUS, and other Authors,
write of the human sacrifices offer'd by the Druids :
and, in mistaking the ashes found in the Cams,
they show themselves ignorant of those several an-
niversary fires and sacrifices, for which they were
rear'd, as we have shown above. The huge cop-
ing stones of these Cams were in the nature of
Altars, and Altars of the lesser form are frequent-
ly found near them ; as now in the great Latin
and Greec Churches, there are, besides the High
Altar, several smaller ones.

XIV. There's another kind of Altar much
bigger than either of these, consisting of a great
number of stones ; some of 'em serving to sup-
port the others, by reason of their enormous bulk.
These the Britons term CROMLECH in the sin-

130 THE HISTORY

gular, Cromlechu in the plural number ; and the
Irish CROMLEACH or Cromleac, in the plural
Cromleacha or Cromleacca. By these Altars, as
in the center of the Circular Temples, there com-
monly stands, or by accident lyes, a prodigious
stone, which was to serve as a Pedestal to some
Deity : for all these Cromleachs were places of
worship, and so call'd from bowing, the word sig-
nifying the (65) bowing-stone. The original desig-
nation of the Idol CRUM-CRUACH, whereof in the
next Section, may well be from Cruim, an equi-
valent word to Tairneach Taran or Tarman, all
signifying Thunder : whence the Romans call'd
the Gallic Jupiter Taramis or Taranis, the thun-

derer : and from these Cromleachs it is, that in
the oldest Irish a Priest is call'd Cruimthear, and

Priesthood Cruimtheacd, which are so many evi-
dent vestiges of the Druidical (66) religion. There's
a Cromlech in Nevern-Parish in Pembrokeshire,
where the middle stone is still eighteen foot high,
and nine broad towards the base, growing nar-
rower upwards. There lyes by it^a piece broken
of ten foot long, which seems more than twen-
ty oxen can draw : and therefore they were not

(65) From crom or crum, which, in Armoric, Irish,
and Welsh, signifies bent ; and Lech or L?ac> a broad
.stone.

((>(>) Of the same nature is Cuirneach, of which be-
r« : for . the ordinary \ford for a Priest, is

» i > i f^e H t» f , , ,- «,* ' A f J-Q jj| Suc€rdos,

OF THE DRUIDS. 131

void of all skill in the Mechanics, who could set
up the whole. But one remaining at Poitiers in
France, supported by five lesser stones, excedes
all in the British Hands, as being sixty foot in
circumference (67). I fancy however that this was
a Rocking-stone : There's also a noble Cromleach
at Bod-ouyr in Anglesey. Many of them, by a
modest computation, are thirty tun weight : but
they differ in bigness, as all pillars do, and their
Altars are ever bigger than the ordinary Kistieu-
vaen. In some places of Wales these stones are
call'd Meineu-guyr, which is of the same import
with Cromlechu. In Caithness, and other remote
parts of Scotland, these Cromleacs^afe^very num-
erous, some pretty entire ; and others, not so much
consum'd by time, or thrown down by storms, as
disorder'd and demolished by the hands of men.
But no such Altars were ever found by OLAUS
WORMIUS, the great northern Antiquary, which I
desire the abettors of Dr. CHARLTON to note, nor
by any others in the Temples of the Gothic na-
tions ; as I term all who speak the sevaral dia-
lects of Gothic original, from Izeland to Switzer-
land, and from the Bril in Holland to Presburg
in Hungary, the Boehemiaps and Polanders ex-
cepted. The Druids were onely co-extended with

(67) La pierre levee de Poitiers a soixante pieds de
tour, § elle tst posce sur cinq autres pierres, sans
sache non plus ni pourqiioi, ni comment.
Memoires d' Angleterie, page 330.

13-2 THE HISTORY

the Celtic dialects : besides that CESAR says ex-
presly, there were (68) no Druids among the Ger-
mans^ with whom he says as expresly that seeing
and feeling ivas believing, honoring onely the Sun,
the Fire, and the Moon, by which they were ma-
nifestly benefited, and that they made no sacri-
fices at all : which of course made Altars as use-
less there, tho' afterwards grown fashionable, as
they were necessary in the Druids Temples, and
which they show more than probably to have been
Temples indeed ; nor are they call'd by any o-
ther name, or thought to have been any other
thing, by the Highlanders or their Irish progeni-
tors. In Jersey likewise, as well as in the other
neighbouring Hands, formerly part of the Dutchy
of Normandy, there are many Altars and Crom-
lechs. " There are yet remaining in this Hand,'*
(says Dr. FALLE in the 115th page of his Account of
Jersey) " some old monuments of Paganism. We
" call them Pouqueleys. They are great flat stones,
" of vast bigness and weight ; some oval, some
" quadrangular, rais'd three or four foot from the
" ground, and supported by others of a less size.
" 'Tis evident both from their figure, and great
" quantities of ashes found in the ground there-

(68) Germani neque Druides habent, qui rebus di»

mnis praesint, neque Sacrificiis student. Deorum nume-
TO eos solos ducunty quos cernunt, et quorum operihus
aperte juvantur; So/em, et Vulcanum, et Lunam: reli-
quns ne farna quidem acceperunt. De Bella Galileo,
lib. &

OF THE DRUIDS. 133

" abouts, that they were us'd for Altars in those
" times of superstition : and their standing on emi-
" nences near the sea, inclines me also to think,
" that they were dedicated to the Divinities of
w the Ocean. At ten or twelve foot distance there
" is a small stone set up an end, in manner of
" a desk ; where 'tis suppos'd the Priest kneel'd,
" and perform'd some ceremonies, while the Sa-
" crifice was burning on the Altar." Part of this
account is mistaken, for the culture of the inland
parts is the reason that few Pouqueleys are left,
besides those on the barran rocks and hills on the
sea side : nor is that situation alone sufficient for
entitling them to the Marine Powers, there be-
ing proper marks to distinguish such wheresoever
situated.

XV. But to return to our Cromleachs, the chief-
est in all Ireland was CRUM-CRUACH, which
stood in the midst of a Circle of twelve Obe-
lises on a hill in Brefin, a district of the coun-
ty of Cavan, formerly belonging to Letrim. It
was all over covered with gold and silver, the
lesser figures on the twelve stones about it be-
ing onely of brass ; which mettals, both of the
stones and the statues that they bore, became every
where the prey of the Christian Priests, upon the
conversion of that kingdom. The legendary writers
of PATRICKS Life, tell many things no less ridi-
culous than incredible, about the destruction of

134 THE HISTORY

this Temple of Moyslect (69), or the Field of
Adoration, in Brefm ; where the stumps of the
circular Obliscs are yet to be seen, and where
they were noted by writers to have stood long before
any Danish invasion, which shows how groundless
Dr. CHARLTON'S notion is. The Bishop's See of
Clogher had its name from one of those stones,
all cover'd with gold (Clochoir signifying the gol-
den stone} on which stood KERMAND KELSTACH,
the chief Idol of Ulster (70). This stone is still
in being. To note it here by the way, Sir JAMES
WARE was mistaken, when, in his Antiquities of
Ireland, he said Arcklow and Wicklow were foren
names : whereas they are mere Irish, the first be-
in Ardeloch9 and the second Buidhe-cloch, from higk
and yellow stones of this consecrated kind. 'Tis
not to vindicate either the Celtic nations in gene-
ral, or my own country-men in particular, for
honoring of such stones, or for having stony sym-
bols of the Deity ; but to show they were neither
more ignorant nor barbarous in this respect than
the politest of nations, the Greecs and the Rom-
ans, that here I must make a short literary ex-
cursion. Wherefore, I beg your Lordship to re-
member, that KERMAND KELSTACH was not the one-
ly MERCURY of rude stone, since the MERCURY
of the Greecs was not portray'd antiently in the

(69) Magh-sleucht.

(70) MF.KCURIUS CELTICUS,

OF THE DRUIDS. 135

shape of a youth, with wings to his heels and
a caduceus in his hand ; but (71), without hands
or feet9 being a square stone, says PHURNUTUS, and
I say .without any sculpture. The reason given
for it by the Divines of those days, was, that as
the square Jigure betokened his solidity and stabili-
ty ; so he wanted neither hands nor feet to exe-
cute what he was commanded by JOVE. Thus their
merry-making BACCHUS was figured among the The-
bans by a (72) pillar onely. So the Arabians
worship I know not what God, says (73) MAXI-
MUS TYRIUS, and fhe statue that I saw of him,
was a square stone. I shall say nothing here of
the oath of the Romans per Jovem Lapidem. But
no body pretends that the Gauls were more subtil
Theologues or Philosophers, than the Arabians, Greecs,
or Romans; at least many are apt not to believe
it of their Irish Ofspring : yet 'tis certain, that all
those nations meant by these stones without statues,
the (74) eternal stability and power of the Deity ;
and that he cou'd 'not be represented by any simi-
litude, nor under any figure whatsoever. For the

(71) Plaltetai <b kai acheir, kai apoiis, kai tetragonos to scheraati, d* Her-

Hies : tetragonos men, to edraion te kai asphales echein Acheir de kai Apo-is,

epei oute podon onte cheiron deitai, pros to anuein to prokeimiiuou auto. Ds
Nat. Deor. cap. 16.

(72) Stulos Thebaioisi Dionussos polu^ethes. Clem. Alex. Stromat. /•£. j,

(73) Arabioi sebousi men hontina d1 ouk oida : to da ag-alma ho eidon ii-
thos en tetragonos. Serm. 38.

<T4) To aneikuniston tou thecu kui -monimoiu Id. Ib-d,

186 THE HISTORY

numberless figures, which, notwithstanding this doc-
trine, they had, some of 'em very ingenious, and
some very fantastical, were onely emblematical or
enigmatical symbols of the divine attributes and
operations, but not of the Divine Essence. Now as
such symbols in different places were different, so
they were often confounded together, and mistaken
for each other. Nor do I doubt, but in this manner
the numerous Cams in Gaule and Britain induc'd
the Romans to believe, that MERCURY was their
(75) chief God, because among themselves he had
such heaps, as I show'd above; whereas the Celtic
heaps were all dedicated to BELENUS, or the Sun.
The Roman Historians in particular are often mis-
led by likenesses, as has been already, and will not
seldom again, be shown in our History ; especially
with regard to the Gods, said to have been been
worship'd by the Gauls. Thus some modern Critics
have forg'd new Gods, out of the sepulchral inscrip-
tions of Gallic Heroes. I shall say no more of such
pillars, but that many of them have a cavity on the
top, capable to hold a pint, and somtimes more ;
with a channel or groove, about an inch deep, reach-
ing from this hollow place to the ground, of the
use whereof in due time.

XVI Nor will I dwell longer here, than our
subject requires, on the FATAL STONE so call'd,

(75) Deum maxime Mercurium 'cofunt. Hujits sunt
plurima simulacra, $c. Cues, cle bello Gallico, lib, &

OF THE DRUIDS. 137

on which the supreme Kings of Ireland us'd to
be inaugurated in times of Heathenism on the
hill of (76) Tarah (77) : and which being inclos-

(76) Teamhuir, or in the oblique cases Teamhra,
whence corruptly Taragh, or Tarah.

(77) The true names of this stone are Liag-fail or
the fatal stone, and Clock na cineamhna or the stone of

fortune : both of them from a persuasion the antient
Irish had, that, in what country soever this stone re-
main'd, there ©ne of their blood was to reign. But
this prov'd as false as such other prophesies for 300
years, from EDWARD the first to the reign of JAMER
the first in England. The Druidical Oracle is in verse,
and in these original words :

Cioniodh scuit saor an fine,

Man ba breag an Faisdine,

Mar a bhfuighid an Lia~fail,

Dlighid flaitheas do ghabhail. •

Which may be read thus truely, but monkishly trail*
slated, in HECTOR. BOETHIUS:

Ni fallat fatum, Scoti, quocunque locatum
Invenient lapidem hnnc, regnare tenentur ibidem,

The Lowland Scots have rhym'd it thus:
Except old Saws do feign,
And wizards wits be blind,
The Scots in place must reign,
Where they this stone shall find.

And some English Poet has thus render'd it ;
Consider Scot, whene'er you find this stone?
If fates fail not, there fixt must be your throne,

The Irish pretend to have memoirs concerning it for
above 2000 years ; nay Ireland it self is sometime^

138 THE HISTORY

ed in a wooden Chair, was thought to emit a
sound under the rightful Candidate, a thing easi-
ly nianag'd by the Druids, but to be mute un-
der a man of none or a bad title, that is,, one
who was not for the turn of those Priests. E-
very one has read of Memnon's vocal statue in
Egypt. This fatal stone was superstitiously sent
to confirm the Irish Colony in the north of Great
Britain, where it continued as the Coronation-
seat of the Scottish Kings, even since Christiani-
ty ; till, in the year one thousand three-hundred,

from this stone, by the poets cat I'd Inis-fail. But how
soon they begun to use it, or whence they had ir,
lyes altogether in the dark. What's certain is, that
after having long contmu'd at Tarah, it was, for the
purpose I have mentioned, sent to FERGUS, the first
^ actual King of Scots; and that it lay in Argile (the
original seat of the Scots in Britain) till, about the
year of Christ 842, that KENETH the 2d, the son of
ALPIN, having inlarg'd his borders by the conquest
of the Picts, transferred this stone, for the same pur-
pose as before, to Scone. So great respect is still paid
by Christians to a Heathen Prophesy! not onely false
in fact, as I have this moment prov'd; but evidently
illusory and equivocal, it being a thing most difficult
to find any prince in Europe, who, some way or other,
may not claim kindred of every other princely race
about him, and consequently be of that blood. This
is the, case of our present Soverain King GEORGE, who
is indeed descended of the Scottish race, but yet in pro-
priety of speech is not of the Scottish line; but the
first here of the Brunswick line, as others begun the
Brittish, Saxon, Danish, Saxo-Danish, Norman, Saxo-
Norman, and Scottish lines. Yet this not being the
sense in which the Irish and Scots understand the Oracle,
they ought consequently at tais very time to look upon
it as false, and groundless,

OF THE DRUIDS. I3f>

EDWARD the first of England brought it from
Scone, placing it under the Coronation-chair at
Westminster : and there it still continues, the an-
tientest respected monument in the world ; for
tho' some others may be more antient as to du-
ration, yet thus superstitiously regarded they are
not. I had almost forgot to tell you, that 'tis
now by the vulgar call'd JACOB-STONE, as if this
had been JACOB'S pillow at Bethel (78). Neither
shall I be more copious in treating of another kind
of stones, tho' belonging also to our subject. They
are roundish and of vast bulk ; but so artificial-
ly pitch'd on flat stones, sometimes more, some-
tftnes fewer in number : that touching the great
stone lightly, it moves, and seems to totter, to
the great amazement of the ignorant ; , but stirs
not, at least not sensibly, for that is the case,
when dne uses his whole strength. Of this sort
is Maen-amber in Cornwall, and another in the
Peak of Derby, whereof Dr. WOODWARD has given
me an account from his own observation. Some
there are in Wales, one that I have seen in the
Parish of Clunmany (79) in the north of Ireland,
and the famous rocking stones in Scotland ; of all
which, and many more, in our History. Yet I
cou'd not excuse it to my self, if I did not with

(78) Gen. xxviii. 11, 18, 19,*

(79) Oluainmaine*

140 THE HISTORY

the soonest, let your Lordship into the secret of
this reputed Magic ; which the no less learned
Antiquary than able Physician, Sir ROBERT SIB-
BALD, has discovered in the Appendix to his His-
tory of Fife and Kinross. That Gentleman speak-
ing- ©f the Rocking-stone near Balvaird, or the
Bards-town, " I am informed, (says he), that this
" stone was broken by the Usurper CROMWELL'S
* Soldiers ; and it was discover'd then, that its
«*• motion was performed by a yolk extuberant in
•* the middle of the under-surface of the upper stone,
"• which was inserted in a cavity in the surface of
M the lower stone.'* To which let me add, that as
the lower stone was flat, so the upper stone was
globular : and that not onely a just proportion in the
motion, was calculated from the weight of the stone,
and the wideness of the cavity, as well as the oval
figure of the inserted prominence ; but that the vast
bulk of the upper stone did absolutely conceal the
mechanism of the motion ; and the better still to im-
pose, there were two or three surrounding flat stones,,
tho' that onely in the middle was eoncern'd in the
feat^ By this pretended miracle they condemn'd of
perjury, or acquitted, as their interest or their af-
fection led them ; and often brought criminals to con-
fess, what could be no other way extorted from them.
So prevalent is the horror of Superstition in some
cases, which led many people to fancy, and among
them the otherwise most judicious STRABO, that it
snight be a useful cheat to society : not considering;

OF THE DRUIDS.

that in other cases, incomparably more numerous
and important, it is most detrimental, pernicious,
and destructive, being solely useful to the Priests
that have the management of it ; while it not
onely disturbs or distresses society, but very of-
ten confounds and finally overturns it, of which

History abounds with examples.

XVII. I come now to the DRUIDS HOUSES,
by which I don't mean their Forts or Towns, of
of which they had many, but not as Church-
lands ; nor yet the Houses for their Schools, situ-
ated in the midst of pleasant groves : but I mean
little, arch'd, round, stone buildings, capable only
of holding one person, where the retir'd and con-
templative Druid sat, when his Oak could not
shelter him from the weather. There's another
sort of Druid's houses much larger. Of both these
sorts remain several yet intire in the He of Sky,
and also in some other lies ; being by the Na-
tives (80) call'd Tighthe nan Druidhneack, that is,
Druids Houses. Many of them are to be seen in
Wales, and some in Ireland : but different from
those under-ground houses, or artificial Caves, which
are in all those places ; consisting frequently of
several chambers, and generally opening towards
rivers or the sea : having been, as those of the

(90) Corruptly Tinan Druinich*

142 THE HISTORY

Germans describ'd by (81) TACITUS, magazines a-
gainst the extreme rigor of winter, or hiding places
for men and goods in time of war. The vulgar
in the Hands do still show a great respect for the
Druid's Houses, and never come to the antient
sacrificing and fire-hallowing Cams, but they walk
three times round them from east to west, ac-
cording to the course of the Sun. This sanctifi-
ed tour or round by the south, is calTd (82)
Deiseal ; as the unhallow'd contrary one by the
north, (83) Tuapholl. But the Irish and Albani-
an Scots do not derive the first, as a certain
friend of mine imagined, from Di-sut, which sig-
nifies Sunday in Armorican British, as Dydh-syl
in the Welsh and De-zil in Cornish do the same;
but from (84) Deas, the right, understanding, hand
and Soil, one of the antient names of the Sun,
the right hand in this round being ever next the
heap. The Protestants in the Hebrides are al-
most as much addicted to the Deis-iol, as the Pa-
pists. Hereby it may be seen, how hard it is
to eradicate inveterate Superstition. This custom

(81) Solent et subterraneos specus aperire, eosque multo
insuperftmo onerant: suffugium hiemi, ac receptaculum fru-
gipus', quia rigor em frigorum ejusmodi locis molliunt. Et
si (juando host is advenit, aperta populatur : abdita autem et
defossa aut ignorctntur, aut eo ipto fallunt, quod
sunt. De moribus German, cap. 3.

Dextrorsum.

(83) Sinistrorsum.

(84) Item Deis.

OF THE DRUIDS. 143

was us'd three thousand years ago, and God
knows how long before, by their ancestors the an-
tient Gauls of the same religion with them ; who
turned round right-hand-wise, when they worshiped
their Gods, as (85) ATHENEUS informs us out of
POSIDONIUS a much elder writer. Nor is this con-
tradicted, but clearly confirm'd by PLINY, who
says, that the Gauls, contrary to the custom of the
f86) Romans, turned to the left in their religious
ceremonies ; for as they begun their worship to-
wards the east, so they turn'd about, as our II-
anders do now, from east to west according to
the course of the Sun, that is, from right to left,
as PLINY has observ'd ; whereas the left was a-
mong the Romans reputed the right in Augury,
and in all devotions answering it. Nor were their
neighbors, the Aboriginal Italians, most of 'em of
Gallic descent, strangers to this custom of worship-
ping right-hand-wise, which, not to allege more Pas-
sages, may be seen by this one in the (87) Curculio of
PLAUTUS, who was himself one of them : when you
worship the Gods, do it turning to the right hand;
which answers to turning from the west to the cast.
It is perhaps from this respectful turning from east to

(85) Houtoi theous proslcunousin, epi la dexia Strephoinenoi. Lib. 4. Pa*. 15£»

(86) In adorando dexteram ad osculum referimus, to-
tumque corpus circumagimus ; quod in taevum fecisse Galli
religiomts credunt. Hist. Nat. lib. 28. cap. 2.

(87) Si Deos salutas, dextrovorsum censeo. Act. 1.
Seen. 1. ver. 70.

14* THE HISTORY

west, that we retain the custom of drinking ove
left thumb, or, as others express it, according t
course of the Sun; the breaking of which ord<
reckon'd no small impropriety, if not a downrigl
decency, in Great Britain and Ireland. And no
der, since this, if you have faith in HOMER, wa
custom of the Gods themselves. VULCAN, in the
book of the (88) Iliad, filling a bumper to his m
JUNO,

To th* other Gods, going round from right to lej
Skenk'd Nectar sweet, which from full flask he p^

But more of the right hand in the chapter of Aut

XVIII. v To resume our discourse about the E
houses, one of them in the Hand of St. KIL
very remarkable; and, according to the tra<
of the place, must have belonged to a Druidess.
be this as it will, it is all of stone, without lin
mortar, or earth to cement it : 'tis also arch'd, a
a conic figure ; but open at the top, and a fire
in the middle of the floor. It cannot contain above
nine persons, to sit easy by each other? and from
this whole description 'tis clear, that the edifice call
ARTHUR'S Overt in Sterlingshire, just of the same
form and dimensions, is by no means of Roman ori-
ginal, whatever our antiquaries have thoughtlesly

fancy'd to the contrary. Some make it the Temple

•

(£8) Autar ho tois alloisi theois endexia pasin onoelxoel, gtuku nektar apo
kreteros aphusson. II. 1. Ver. 597.

OF THE DRUIDS. 145

of TERMINUS, and others a triumphal arch, when
they might as well have fancy'd it to be a hogtrough :
so little is it like any of those arches. As to the
house in St. KILDA, there go off from the side of the
wall three low vaults, separated from each other by
pillars, and capable of containing five persons a '
piece. Just such another house in all respects, but
much larger, and grown over with a green sod on
the outside, is in Borera, an He adjacent to St. KIL-
DA ; and was the habitation of a Druid, v:ho 'tis pro-
bable was not unacquainted with his neighbouring
Druidess. Shetland abounds with another kind of
stone houses, not unfrequent in Orkney, which they
ascribe to the Picts ; as they are apt all over Scotland
to make every thing Pictish, whose origin they do
not know. The Belgae or Fir-bolgs share this honor
with the Picts in Ireland, and King ARTHUR is re-
puted the author of all such fabrics in Wales, except
that those of Anglesey father ?em on the Irish. These
instances I have given your Lordship, to convince
you, how imperfect all Treatises about the Druids
(hitherto publish'd) must needs be ; since they con-
tain nothing of this kind, tho' ever so essential to
the subject : and that none of these Monuments, very
frequent in France, are there ascrib'd to the Druids,
their records about such things being all lost ; while
very many of ours happily remain to clear them, since
the usages were the same in both countries. Nor
are those Treatises less defective in the more instruc-
tive part, concerning the Druidical Philosophy and

146 THE HISTORY

Politics, whereof the modern French and Brittish
writers, have in reality known nothing further, than
the Classic authors furnish'd 'em ; or if they add any
thing, 'tis absolutely fabulous, ill-invented, and unau-
thoriz'd. These subjects I reserve intire for my
greater work. JOHN AUBREY Esq; a Member of the
Royal Society, with whom I became acquainted at
Oxford, when I was a sojourner there ; and collecting
during my idler hours a Vocobulary of Armorican
and Irish words, which, in sound and signification,
agree better together than with the Welsh, was the
only person I ever then met, who had a right notion
of the Temples of the Druids, or indeed any notion
that the Circles so often mention'd were such Temples
at all : wherein he was intirely confirm'd, by the au-
thorities which I show'd him; as he supply'd me in
return with numerous instances of such Monuments,
which he was at great pains to observe and set down.
And tho' he was extremely superstitious, or seem'd
to be so : yet he was a very honest man, and most
accurate in his accounts of matters of fact. But the
facts he knew, not the reflections he made, were what
I wanted. Nor will I deny justice on this occasion,
to a person whom I cited before, and who in many
other respects merits all - the regard which the curious
can pay; I mean Sir ROBERT SIBBALD, who, in his
foresaid History of Fife, but very lately come to my
hands, affirms, that there are several Druids Temples
to be seen every where in Scotland, particulary in the

OF THE DRUIDS. 147

County he describes. These (says he) arc great stones
plac'd in a circle, at some distance from each other, &c.
Mr. AUBREY show'd me several of Dr. GARDEN'S let-
ters from that kingdom to the same purpose, but in
whose hands now I know not.

XIX. I shall conclude this Letter with two ex-
amples of such works, as tho' not, that I can hitherto
learn, belonging any way to the Druids, yet they may
possibly be of that kind : or be they of what kind you
will, they certainly merit our notice ; as, together
with those for which we can truely account, they
highly serve to illustrate the Antiquities of our Brit-
tish world. My first example is in the Main-land of
Orkney, describ'd among the rest of those Islands by
Dr. WALLACE and Mr. BRAND ; where, on the top of
a high rocky hill at the west end of the Hand near the
village of Skeal, there is a sort of pavement, consist-
ing of stones variously figur'd, some like a heart, o-
thers like a crown, others like a leg, some like a
weaver's shuttle, others of other forms : and so on for
above a quarter of a mile in length,, and from twenty to
thirty foot in breadth. In taking up any of these
stones, the figure is as neat on the underside as the
upper : and being as big as the life, all of one color,
or a reddish kind of stone pitch'd in a reddish earth,
and the pavement being so very long ; it cannot pos-
sibly be any of the tessellated, or chequerd works of
the Romans. " I saw a part of the garden wall of
" the house of Skeal, says (89) Mr. BRAND, deco:

(89) Pag. 43.

148 THE HISTORY

*k ed with these stones : and we intended to have
" sent a parcel of them to our friends in the south,
" as a. rarity ; if they had not been forgot, at our re-
" turn from Zet-land." Dr. WALLACE (90) also
says, that many of the stones are taken away by the
neighboring gentry, to set them up like Dutch tiles in
their chimneys : so that, at this rate, in less than a
century this pavement will in all likelihood subsist
only in books* All such Monuments, when I go to
Scotland, I shall so accurately describe in every re-
spect, and give such accounts of them where account-
able ; that I hope the curious will have reason to be
satisfy'd, or at least some abler person be emulous of
satisfying the world, and me among the rest. Where-
ever I am at a loss, I shall frankly own it ; and never
give my conjectures for more than what they are,
that is, probable guesses : and certainly nothing can
be more amiss in Inquiries of this kind, than to ob-
trude suppositions for matters of fact. Upon all such
occasions, I desire the same liberty with CRASSUS in
CICERO de (91) Oratore : that / may deny being able
to do, what Tme sure I cannot ; and to confess that I
am ignorant9 of Mat 1 do not know. This I shall not
onely be ever ready to do my self, but to account it in
others a learned ignorance.

XX. But, My Lord, before I take my intended
journey, I desire the favour of having your thoughts

(90) Pag. 55.

(91) Mihi liceat negare posse, quod non potero ; etfateri
nescire, quod nesciam, lib. 2.

OF THE DRUIDS. 149

upon my next example. I speak of a couple of in-
stances, really parallel ; brought here together from
parts of the world no less distant in their situation
and climates, than different in their condition and
manners. Egypt, I mean, and the lies of Scotland.
Yet this they have in common, that Egypt, once the
mother of all arts and sciences, is now as ignorant of
her own monuments, and as fabulous in the accounts
of them, as any Highlanders can be about theirs.
Such changes however are as nothing in the number-
less revolutions of ages. But to our subject. HERO-
DOTUS says, in the second Book of his History, that
near to the entry of the magnificent Temple of MI-
NERVA at Sais in Egypt, of which he speaks with ad-
miration, he saw an edifice twenty-one cubits in
length, fourteen in breadth, and eight in heigth, the
whole consisting onely of one stone ; and that it was
brought thither by sea, from a place about twenty
days sailing from Sais. This is my first instance.
And, parallel to it, all those who have been in Hoy,
one of the Orkneys, do affirm, without citing, or many
of them knowing this passage of HERODOTUS,, that
there lies on a barren heath in this Hand an oblong
stone, in a valley between two moderate hills ; call'd
I suppose antiphrastically, or by way of contraries, the
DWARFY-STONE. It is thirty-six foot long, eigh-
teen foot broad, and nine foot high. No other stones
are near it. 'Tis all hollow'd within, or, as we may
say, scoop'd by human art and industry, having a door
on the east side two foot square ; with a stone of the

150 THE HISTORY

same dimension lying about two foot from it, which
was intended no doubt to close this entrance. With-
in there is, at the south end of it, cut put the form of
a bed and pillow, capable to hold two persons : as, afc
the north end, there is another bed, Dr. WALLACE says,
a couch, both very neatly done. Above, at an equal
distance from both, is a large round hole : which is
suppos'd, not onely to have been designed for letting in
of light and air, when the door was shut ; but like-
wise for letting out of smoke from the fire, for which
there is a place made in the middle between the two
beds. The marks of the workman's tool appear every
where ; and the tradition of the vulgar is, that a Giant
and his wife had this stone for their habitation : tho'
the door alone destroys this fancy, which is wholly
groundless every way besides, Dr. WALLACE thinks
it might be the residence of a Hermit, but it appears
this Hermit did not design to ly always by himself.
Just by it is a clear and pleasant spring, for the use of
the inhabitant. I wish it were in Surrey, that I might
make it a summer study. As to the original design
of this monument, men are by nature curious enough
to know the causes of things, but they are not patient
enough in tbeir search : and so will rather assign any
cause, tho' ever so absurd ; than suspend their judge-
ments, till they discover the true cause, which yet in
this particular I am resolv'd to do.

XXL Now, HIY LORD, imagine ^what you please
about the religious or civil use of this stone, my

OF THE DRUIDS. - 151

difficulty to your Lordship is ; how they were a-
ble to accomplish this piece of Architecture, a-
mong the rest that I have mentioned, in those
remote, barren, and uncultivated Hands ? And how
such prodigious Obelises cou'd be erected there,
no less than in other parts of Britain, and in
Ireland? for which we have scarce any sufficiant
machines, in this time of Learning and Politeness.
These Monuments of every kind, especially the
Forts and the Obelises, induc'd HECTOR BOETHIUS
to tell strange stories of the Egyptians having
been there in the reign of MAINUS King of Scot-
land : nor do they a little confirm the notion,
which some both of the Irish and Albanian Scots
have about their Egyptian, instead of Scythian,
or as I shall evince, a Celtic original ; tho' I
assign more immediately a British for the Irish,
and an Irish extraction for the Scots. Nor is
there any thing more ridiculous than what they
relate of their Egyptian stock ; except what the
Britons fable about their Trojan ancestors. Yet
a reason there is, why they harp so much upon
Egyptians and Spaniards : but altogether misunder-
stood or unobserved by writers. But, not to for-
get our Monuments, you will not say, what, tho'
possible, appears/ improbable, that, according to the
ceasless vicissitude of things, there was a time,
when the inhabitants of these Hands w^re as
learned and knowing, as the present Egyptians
and the Highlands are ignorant. But say what

THE HISTORY

you will, it cannot fail diffusing light on the
subject ; and to improve, if not intirely to satis-
fy, the Inquirer. The ILE OF MAN, as I said
above, does no less abound in these Monuments
of all sorts, than any of the places we have nam-
ed ; and therefore sure to be visited, and all its
ancient remains to be examin'd, by,

MY LORD,
Your Lordship's most obliged,

And very humble Servant,

July l. )
1718. I

THE THIRD

LETTEK,

TO THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD

Viscount Molesworth.

._ TAKE the Liberty, My Lord, to troble you a
third time with the company of the DRUIDS ;
who, like other Priests, resort always to the place
where the best intertainraent is to be found : and
yet I must needs own, it derogates much from
the merit of their visit; that, in the quality of
Philosophers they know not where to find a hear-
tier welcom than in your Lordship's study, Tho'
J have very particularly explaih'd the plan of my
History of the Druids^ m the two last Letters I
did my self the honor to send you on this subject ;
yet the work being considerably large, and con-
taining great variety of matter, have still sornthing
to impart, in order to give the clearer idea of my
design. And it is, that, besides the citations of
authors, indispensably requisite in proving matters
of fact newly advanc'd, or in deciding of antient
doubts and controversies, not . to speak «?f such as
come in by way of ornament, or that a writer
modestly prefers to his own expressions, I have

154 THE HISTORY

sometimes occasion to touch upon passages, which,
tho' I cou'd easily abridge, or needed but barely
hint with relation to the purpose for which I pro-
duce them : yet being in themselves either very
curious and instructive, or lying in books that come
into few people's hands, I chuse to give them in
my History intire. This method I have learnt
from my best masters among the antients, who
practised it with much success ; tho', like them, I
use it very sparingly. One or two instances you'll
not be sorry to see. The explication I have given,
in the llth section of my first Letter, of OGMIUS,
the antient Gallic name of HERCULES, I am no
less certain you do not forget* than that you re-
member I promis'd to take an "opportunity of send-
ing you the whole piece ; which I have thus tran-
slated from the original Greec, with the utmost
accuracy. " The Gauls, says (1) LUCIAN, call
" HERCULES in their country language OGMIUS.
" But they represent the picture of this God in
" a very unusual manner. With them he is a
" decrepit old man, bald before, his beard extreme-
" ly gray, as are the few other hairs he has
" remaining. His skin is wrinkl'd, sunburnt, and
" of such a swarthy hue as that of old mariners:
fi so that you wou'd take him to be CHARON, or
" some IAPETUS from the nethermost hell, or any

0) Ton Heraklea hoi Keltoi OGMION or.omadsousi phone te epichorio,

et quac sequuniur in HERCULE Galileo : Graeca etenim
longiora sunt, quam ut hie commodS insert possint,

OF THE DRUIDS. 155

" tiling rather than HERCULES. But tho' he be

" such thus far, yet he has withall the Habit of

" HERCULES ; being- clad in the skin of a Lion,

« holding a Club in his right hand, a Quiver

" hanging from his shoulders, and a bent Bow in.

" his left hand. Upon the whole it is HERCULES.

u I was of opinion that all these things were perver-

" sely done, in dishonor of the Grecian Gods, by

" the Gauls to the picture of HERCULES : re-

" venging themselves upon him by such a repre-

" sentation, for having formerly over-run their count-

" ry, and driving a Crey out of it ; as he was

" seeking after the herd of GERYON, at which

" time he made incursions into most of the wes-

" tern nations. But I have not yet told; what

" is most odd and strange in this picture ; for

« this old HERCULES draws after him a vast mul-

« titude of men, all ty'd by their Ears. The

" cords by which he does this are small fine Chains,

" artificially made of gold and electrum, like to

" most beautiful bracelets. And tho' the men are

" drawn by such slender bonds, yet none of 'em

" thinks of breaking loose, when they might easily

" do it ; neither do they strive in the least to

" the contrary, or struggle with their feet, lean-

" ing back with all their might against their

" Leader: but they gladly and cheerfully follow,

" praising him that draws them ; all seeming in

" haste, and desirous to get before each other,
" holding up the chains, as if they should be

156 THE HISTORY

" very sorry to be set free. Nor will I grudge
*' telling here, what of all these matters appear-
" ed the most absurd to me. The Painter find-
" ing no place where to fix the extreme links
" of the Chains, the right hand being occupy'd
'• with a Club, and the left with a Bow, he
" made a hole in the tip of the God's tongue,
" who turns smiling towards those he leads, and
" and panited them as drawn from thence. I
" looked upon these things a great while, some-
" times admiring, sometimes doubting, and some-
" times chafing with indignation. But a certain
" Gaul who stood by, not ignorant of our affairs,
" as he show'd by speaking Greec in perfection,
" being one of the Philosopers, I suppose, of that
" nation, said, I'll explain to you, O stranger,
" the enigma of this picture, for it seems not
" a little to disturb you. We Gauls do not sup-
" pose, as you Greecs, that MERCURY is SPEECH
" or Eloquence ; but we attribute it to HERCULES,
" because he's far superior in strength to MECURV.
" Don't wonder, that he's represented as an old
" man: for SPEECH alone loves to show its ut-
" most vigor in old age, if your own Poets speak
" true.

All young men's breasts are with thick darkness fill'd :
But age experienc'd has much more to say,
More wise and learnedt than rude untaught youth.

" Thus, among your selves, hdny drops fi'om

OF THE DRUIDS. 157

" TOR'S tongue; and the Trojan Orators emit a

" certain voice calPd Lirioessa, that is, a florid

" speech ; for, if I remember right, flowers are

« call'd Liria. Now that HERCULES, or SPEECH,

" shou'd draw men after him ty'd by their Ears

" to his Tongue, will be no cause of admiration

" to you ; when you consider the near affinity of

" the Tongue with the Ears. Nor is his Tongue

" contumeliously bor'd : for I remember, said he,

" to have learnt certain Iambics out of your own

" Comedians, one of which says,

The tips of all Prater's tongues are bord.

" And finally, as for us, we are of opinion, that
" HERCULES acconiplish'd all his atchievments by
" SPEECH ; and, that having been a wise man,
" he conquer'd mostly by persuasion : we think
" his arrows were keen Reasons, easily shot, quick,
" and penetrating the souls of men; whence you
" have, among you, the expression of wing'd words,
" Hitherto spoke the Gaul." From this ingeni-
ous picture LUCIAN draws to himself an argument
of Consolation : that the study and profession of
Eloquence was not unbecoming him in his old
age, being rather more fit than ever to teach the
Belles Letters ; when his stock of knowlege was
most complete, as his Speech was more copious,
polish'd, and mature, than formerly.

II, As my first instance is furnish'd by a man3

158 THE HISTORY

who, for his Eloquence and love of Liberty, qualities
no less conspicuous in your Lordship, deserv'd to
have his memory consecrated to Immortality, which
was all that the wisest of the antients understood
by making any one a God ; so my second instance
shall he taken from a woman, whose frailty and
perfidiousness will serve as a foil to those learned
Druidesses, and other illustrious Heroines, which
I frequently mention in my History. I introduce
her in a passage I have occasion to allege, when
I am proving, that wherever the Gauls or Britons
are in any old author simply said to offer sacri-
fice, without any further circumstances added, this
nevertheless is understood to be done by the mi-
nistry of the Druids; it having been as unlawful
for any of the Celtic nations to sacrifice other-
wise, as it was for the Jews to do so without
their Priests and Levites. The Druids, says (2)
JULIUS CAESAR, perform divine service, they offer
the public and private sacrifices, they interpret re-
ligious observances : and even when particular per-
sons wou'd propitiate the Gods, for the continu-
ing or restoring of their Health ; they make nse
of the Druids, adds he (3), to offer those sacrifices.

(2) llli rebus divinis intersunt, sacrificia publica ac pri-
Tata procurant, religianes inter pretantur. De Btjllo Gallico*.
lib. 6. cap. 12.

(3) Adminisirisque ad ea sacrificia Drnidibus utuntur.
Ibid. *

OF THE DftUIDS. J59

'*Tis the established custom of the Gauls, says (4)

DIODORUS SICULUS, to offer no sacrifice without a

Philosopher, which is to say, a Druia : 'and STRABO

so expresses it, affirming, that (.5) they never sacri-

Jice without the Druids, This unanswerable proof

being premis'd, now follows one of the passages,

wherein a Gaul being said simply to sacrifice, I

think fit to relate the whole story. 'Tis the eigth

of PARTHENIUS of Nicea's Love-stories, related before

him (as he says) in the first book of the History

written by ARISTODEMUS of Nysa, now lost. This

PARTHENIUS addresses his book to CORNELIUS GAL-

LUS, for whose use he wrote it, being the game to

whom VIRGIL inscribed his tenth Eclog. The story

runs thus. " When (6) the Gauls had made an in-

" cursion into Ionia, and sack'd "most of the cities,

" the Thesmophorian festival was celebrated at

" Miletus; which occasioning all the women to as-

" semble together in the Temple, that was not far

« from the city : part of the Barbarian army, which

« separated from the rest, made an irruption into the

•* Milesian territory, and seiz'd upon those women;

" whom the Milesians were forc'd to ransom, giving

" in exchange a great sum of gold and silver. Yet

" the Barbarians took some of them away for do-

(4) Ethos <T auto's esti, medena timsian poiein aneu philosopho^i. Lib. o.
pag. 303. JEdif. Hanoi;.

5.5) Ethuon de ouk aneu Druidon. Lib. 4. pag. 303. Edit. Amstel.
(6) Hote de hoi Galatai katcirafnon ten lonitui, ct quae

160 THE HISTORY

« mestic use, among whom was ERIPPE (7) the wife
" of XANTHUS (a man of the first rank and birth in
" Miletus) Iteming behind her a boy onely two years
" olde. Now XANTHUS passionately loving his wife,
" turn'd part of his substance into money, and having
" amass'd a thousand pieces of gold, he crooss'd over
" with the soonest into Italy ; whence being guided
" by some whom he had intertain'd in Greece, he
" came to Marseilles, and so into Gaule. Then he
" went to the house where his wife was, belonging
" to a man of the greatest authority among the
" Gauls, and intreated to be lodg'd there ; whereupon
" those of the family, according to that nation's usual
" Hospitality, cheerfully receiving him, he went in
" and saw his wife ; who running to him with open
" anus, very lovingly led him to his apartment.
" CAVARA (8) the Gaul, who had been abroad, re-
" turning soon after, EEIPPE acquainted him with
" the arrival of her Husband ; and that it was for her
" sake he came, bringing with him the price of her*
" redemption. The Gaul extoll'd the generosity of
" XANTHUS, and strait inviting several of his own
" friends and nearest relations, hospitably treated
*' him ; making a feast on purpose, and placing his
" wife by his side : then asking him by an interpreter
" what his whole estate was worth, and XANTHUS

(7) ARISTODEMUS calls her GYTHIMIA.

(8) So he's mmi'd by ARISTODEMUS: and it is to this
day a common name in Ireland* 'Vid. Act fur attainting
SHANE

OF THE DRUIDS. 101

" answering a thousand pieces of gold ; the Barbarian
" order'd him to divide that sum into four parts,
*•' whereof he should take back three, one for himself,
" one for his wife, and one for his little son, but that
" he shou'd leave him the fourth for his wife's ran-
*' som. When they went to bed, his wife heavily
" chid XANTHUS, as not having so great a sum of
u gold to pay the Barbarian ; and that he was in
" danger, if he could not fulfill his promise. He
" told her, that he had yet a thousand pieces
" more hid in the shoos of his servants ; for
" that he did not expect to find any Barbarian
" so equitable, believing her ransom wou'd have
" cost him much more. Next day the wife
'•' informed the Gaul what a great sum of gold
*•' there was, and bids him kill XANTHUS ; assur-
••' ing him, that she lov'd him better than her
" country or her child, and that she mortally
" hated XANTHUS. CAVARA took no delight in
" this declaration, and resolv'd in his own mind
t( from that moment to punish her. Now when.
" Xanthus was in haste to depart, the Gaul very
" kindly permitted it, going with him part of
" the way, and leading Erippe. When the Bar-
" barian had accompany'd them as far as the moun-
" tains ofGaule, he said, that, before they part-
" ed, he was minded to offer a sacrifice ; and
" having adorn'd the victim, he desir'd Erippe
" to lay hold of it : which she doing, as at o-
" ther times sh2 was accustom'd; he brandished

THE HISTORY

' his sword at her, ran her thro', and cut off
" her head ; but pray'd Xanthus not to be at all
" concern 'd, discovering her treachery- to him, 'and
" permitting -him to take away all his Gold." 'Tis
no more hence to be concluded, because no Druid is
mentioned, that Cavara offered this sacrifice with-
out the ministry of one or more such, unless he
was of their number himself, which is not im-
probable, than that a man of his quality was at-
tended by no servants, because they are not spe-
cially mentioned; for ordinary, as well as neces-
sary circumstances, are ever supposed by ' good
writers, where there is not some peculiar occa-
sion of inserting them.

III. In my third instance I return again to
HERCULES, of whom a story is told in the same
book, whence we had the last ; which, tho relat-
ed and recommended by the author as a good ar-
gument for a Poem, affords however no small illus-
tration, to what I maintain by much more posi-
tive proofs, viz. that " Great Britain was denomin-
" ated from the province of Britain in Gaule, and
u that from Gaule the original inhabitants of all
" the Brittish Hands (I mean those of CESAR'S time)
" are descended." Listen for a moment to PARTHL:-
KIUS. JTis (9) said " That Hercules, as he drove

(9) Legetai dp Vai HeraVlea? hote ap1 'Erutheias tas Gerucr.oa 1* us e^sgen,
halmnenen <iia t£s Keitcu choras, apbikesthai para Bretanuon : to d« ara hupar-
thein ihugalera. Keltiru'n enema : tauten ce, eral^cisa]} tou Ilerakleous, k.-.tak-
i tas bous ; me theleia te apodoucai, *-i de ^roteron autcaiickth.vt.ai: tea

OF THE DRUIDS.

" away from (10) Erythia the oxen of Geryon,
>fc had penetrated into the region of the Gauls,
" and that he came as far as Bretannus, who had
" a daughter called Celtina. This young woman
" falling in love with Hercules, hid his oxen ;
" and wou'd not restore them, till he shou'd in-
" joy her first. Now Hercules being desirous to
" recover his oxen, and much more admiring the
" beauty of the maid, he lay with her ; and in
" due time was born to them a son named Cel-
" tus (II)) from whom the Celts are so denomin-
" ated." Many of the antient writers mention the
incursion of Hercules into Gaule, when he made
war against Geryon in Spain ; which the judicious
Diodorus Siculus shows to have been at the head
of a powerful Army, not with his bare Club and
Bow, as the Poets feign ; and that it was he<who
built the fortress of Akxia, whereof the Siege,
many ages after by Julius Cesar, became so fam-
ous. Diodorus likewise tells this very story of
Parthenius, but without naming Bretannus or Cel-
tina. He onely says (1Q}> " A certain illustrious

dfi Heraklea, to men toi kai tas tons epeigoinenon auasosasthai : polu roallon to
kallos ekplagenta tes kores snngen«sthai aate : kai autois, chronou periekontos,
genesthai paida Keiton, aph* hou de Keltoi prosegoreothesao. Cap. 30.

(10) Now Cadiz.

(11) CALLUS, GALLT.

O?) Tes Xeltikes toinun to palaion, -hos phasin» edunasteusea epiphanes
gjsir, ho thugater eg^eneto, &c -- micEtheisa de to HerakJei eg-eRnese1*
Galattn— — periboetos de genomenos ep' andreia, tons liup' auton

104 THE HISTORY

« man, that govern'd a Province in Gaule, had
" a daughter exceeding the rest of her sex, in
" stature and beauty : who, tho despising all that
" made court to her, being of a very high spi-
•" rit ; yet fell in love with Hercules, whose cour-
" age and majestic person she greatly admired.
" With her parents consent she came to a right
" understanding with this hero, who begot on her a
" son, not unworthy the pair from whom he sprung,
" either in body or mind. He was called Galates
'- (13), succeeded his grandfather in the goternment ;
" and, becoming renown'd for his valor, his subjects
«' were called Galatians (14) after his name, as
" the whole country it self Galatia (15)." This
is plainly the same story, onely that one writer
supplies us with the names, which the other omits ;
and Armorican Britain being probably the Province,
wherein Bretannus rul'd (since we find it insinuated,
that Hercules had penetrated far to come to him)
'tis still more than probable, that it was deno-
minated from him : as I shall prove beyond the
possibility of contradiction, that our Britain had
its name from that of Gaule, as New England

tagraenous onomazen aph' heautou Galatas, &rh' hon he sumpasa Galatia pro*
segoreuthe. Lib. 4. pag. 303.

(13) CALLUS.

(14) Galli.

(U) Gallic

OF THE DRUIDS. 165

has from the Old. Hesychius, in the word Bretan-
nus, is of the same opinion with me. So is Di-
onysius (16) Periegetes, with his Commentator (17)
Eustathius : and I am not a little countenanced by
PLINY the elder, who places (18) Britons on the
maritim coasts of Grille over against Great Bri-
tain. But I have more evidence still. To say
nothing at present of CESAR so many ages be-
fore Eustathius, Tacitus likewise among the (19)
untients, BEDA among those of the, middle (20)
ages, and some of the most celebrated modern
writers, are as express as words can possibly make
any thing, that Britain was peopled from Gaule.
Nor is the epithet of Great, added to our Britain,

(16) . . . Eatha Bretanoi.

Leuka te phula nemoatai areimaneSn Genmanon.

Vcr. 284.

(17) Ton de Brettanon tauton parSnumoi, hai antiperan Brettaaides nesoi,

(18) A Scaldi incolunt extera Toxandri pluribus
nominibus : delude Menapij, Morini, Oromansaci juncti
Pa^o qui Gessoriacus vocatur: * BRITANMJ, Ambiani,
Bellovaci Hassi. Nat. His. Lib. 4. Cap. 17.

(19) In universum tamen aestimanti, Gallos vicinum
solum occupasse credibile est : oorum sacra deprehendas,
superbtitionum persuasione : Sertno baud rfiultuni divcr-

sus, 4"c» Vit. Agric. Cap. 11.

(20) Haec In'sula Brilones solum, a quibus nomen ac-
cepit, incolas habuit; qui de tractu Armoricano, ut tertur,
Bntanniam advecti,australcs sibi partes illius

Hist. Eccles. Lib. 1. Cap. 1.

jj In quibusdam exemplar ibus, sej erperam, Br4\.:/

166 THE HISTORY

any more an objection to this assertion ; than the
coast of Italy, formerly called Magna Graccia,
cou'd be made the mother country of Greece, when
the cities of that coast were all Colonies from thence:
besides that Great Britain was antiently so calFd
with respect to Ireland, which, before the fable of
the Welsh colony in Gaule was invented, is call'd
LittU Britain, as you'll see anon. These disquisi-
tions come not into the History of the Druids, but
into the annext Dissertation concerning the Celtic
Language and Colonies. There you'll see the folly
of deriving Britain from the fabulous Irish Hero
BRIOTAN, or from the no less imaginary BRUTUS
the Trojan ; nor is the word originally PRIDCAIN,
Prytania, Bridania, or descended from either Pheni-
cian, or Scandinavian, or Dutch, or even any Brit-
tish words. The insular Britons, like other Colonies,
were long govern'd by those on the continent ; and
by the neighboring Provinces, who join'd in making
settlements here. It was so even as low down as a
little before JULIUS CESAR'S conquest; in whose (21)
Commentaries it is recorded,, that those of Soissons
had within their memory, say the ambassadors of
Rheims to him, Divitiacus (22) for their King, the

(21) Suessones esse suos finitimos, latissimos feracis-
simosque agros possidere : apud eos fuisse Regem nostva
etiam memoria Divitiacum, totiusGalliae potentissimum ;
qui, cum magnae partis harum regionum, -turn eliam By*
tanmne imperium obtinuerit. J)e Bello Galileo, Lib. 2.

(22) Different from DIVTTIACUS the Eduan or Ber£ undian.

OF THE DRUIDS. 167

most potent Prince of all Gaule : who sway'd t/te
scepter, not onely of a great part of those regions,
but also of Britain. In the same Dissertation, after
exploding the Welsh fable about Britain in France,
you'll read as positive proofs, that the ancient Irish,
not one of their Colonies excepted, the Nemetes, the
Firbolgs, the Danannans, and the Milesians, were all
from Gaule and Great Britain ; whose lanp-ua^e, reli-

o o *

gion, customs, laws and government, proper names of
men and places, they constantly did and do still use :
whereas, to forbear at present all other arguments,
not one single word of the Irish tongue agrees with
the Cantabrian or Biscaian, which is the true old
Spanish ; the present idiom being a mixture of Latin,
Gothic, and Arabic. Besides this, all the antients
knew and held the Irish to be Britons, as Ireland it
self is b> PTOLOMY call'd (23) Little Britain. They
were reckon'd Britons by ARISTOTLE, who in his book
de Mundo, calls the country (24) lerne ; as Orpheus
before him (25) lernis, if ONOMACRITUS be not the
author of the Argonautica, or rather, as Suidas asserts,
Orpheus of Crotona,, contemporary with the Tyrant
Pisistratus. And if this be true, Archbishop USHER
did not Gasconnade, when he (26) said, that the

($3) Mikra Brettania, m Almagest. Lib. 2. cap. 6.

(24) En touto g-e men (okeano) nesoi megistai te tunchaaousia ,ovts«i djo,
I>. -taaikai ie^oiueuai, Albiuu kai leraS. Cap. 3.

(2*j) Afikaios d' oiokas Cpistamenos etitaiae,

Pur d' aui nesoa fauoibeu lernida— — — Vcr. 1240-

Primord. Eccles. Britannicar. pa%.

THE HISTORY

I^oman people cou'd not any where be found so an-
tiently mentioned as lernis. Dionysius Periegetes,
before cited, is of the same opinion in his description
cfthe (21) world, that the Irish were Britons : as Ste-
phanas Byzaniius names it (28) Brittish Juvernia, the
(cast of the two Hands. Diodorus Siculus mentions
(29) the Britons inhabiting the Hand caWd Iris, a
name better expressing Ere> vulgarly Erinn, the right
name of Ireland, than lerne, Juverna, Hibernia, or
any name that has been either poetically or otherwise
us'd. STRABO stiles Ireland (30) Brittish lerna, as
his antierit Abridger calls the Irish (31), the Britons
inhabiting lerna : and, if we may intermix ludicrous
with serious things, where 'tis now read in the same
Strdbo, that the Irish were great eaters (32) his said
Abridger reads it herb-eaters (33) ; which wou'd in-
duce one to believe, that so long ago Shamrogs were
in as great request there as at present. PLINY says
in express words (34), that " every one of the Brit-

(27) Dissai uesoi easi Brettaniues actia R5:iou. Ftr. 56G.
v28) louernia he Pretaunike, tou duo elasson.

(29) . , . . Hosper kai ton Bretuiion, tous katoikouutas ti~n ouQiaazome;i5a
Iria. Lib. 5. pag. 309.

(.SO) Hoi ten Bretaaikon lernen idontes, &c. lib. 1. pag. 110.

(.31) Hoi tea lernea nesoa katoikouates Bretanoi. Lib. S.

(.32) Polupha^oi.

^33) Poe^hagoi. •

(34) Britannia clara Graecis nostrisque scri^

OF TriE DRUIDS. 169

*' tish Hands was call'd Britain ; whereas Albion wa3
" the distinguishing name of4 the Britain now pecu-
« liai-ly so call'd* and so famous in the Gfeec and
" Roman writings/' These particulars* I repeat it*
much below the dignity of our History, will be found
in the befor£-mention'd Dissertation J which, tho* infi*
nitely less useful* I dare prophesy will be full as much
read, if not much more relish'd. The greatest men
however have not thought it unbecoming them, to
search at their leisure into such Originals : and I, for
my part* found it almost a necessary imployment, con*
sidering the light it adds to my principal work»

TV* To return thither therefore* there are diverse
-passages, some longer some shorter, in the most antient
Greec authors we have* or copy'd by these from such
as are quite lost ; which* tho* generally neglected and
unobserved* will be no small ornament to the History
I have taken in hand* And, to say it here by the
the way* 'tis certain that the more antient Greec
Writers, such as HECATEUS, EUDOXUS, HIPPARC&US,
ERATOSTHENES, PoLVsitis, POSIDONIUS (not to speak
ofDiCEARCHUS and others) knew a great deal of truth
concerning the Brittish Hands : by reason of the fre-
quent navigations of the Greecs into these parts, after
the way was shown them by the Phenkians ; so anti*
ent an author as HERODOTUS affirming, that his coun-

Albitm ipsi nometi fuit, cum Britanniae vocarentur omnes
Insulae nempe Britannicae. Ara*. Hist, lib, 4, cap. 16>

170 THE HISTORY

tiymen had their Tin from (35) hence, tho' he cou'd
give little account of the Hand. But this commerce
being interrupted for several ages afterwards, the later
writers did not onely themselves vend abundance of
fables about these northern parts of the world ; but
treat as fabulous, what their Predecessors had record-
ed with no less honesty than exactness. Of this I
shall have occasion to give some convincing proofs in
this very Letter. But not to forget the passages of
the antients, when you call to mind those Rocking-
stones set up by the Druids, describ'd in the xivth and
xvith Section of our second Letter, and whereof seve-
ral are yet standing ; you'll not doubt- but 'tis one of
them, that is mention'd in the Abridgement we have
of PTOLOMY HEPHESTION'S History : who, in the third
chapter of the third book, is said to have written about
the (36) GIGONIAN STONE standing near the
ocean ; which is mov'd with such a small matter as the
stalk of asphodel, tho' immoveable against the greatest
force imaginable. This passage needs, in my opinion,
no comment. But we are to note, when those old
writers talk of any thing near the Ocean with respect
to the straights of HERCULES (37), and without speci-
fying the place ; that it may then be on the coast of

(35) Oute nesotts oida Kassiteridas eousas, ek ton ho kassiteros he

phoita. Lib. S. cap* 115.

(36) Peri tes peri ton Okeanon Gigonias petfas, kaj fcoti nono asphodelo
kkeitai, pros pasan bian ametakwetos ousa.

•

(37) Now of Gibraltar.

OF THE DRUID?. I?l

Spain, or of France, in the Brittish Hands, or on any
of the northern shores. It is onely to be discoverd
either by matter of fact, or by probable circumstances*:
as this Gigonian stone (for example) was necessarily in
some of the Celtic or Brittish territories, whose Druids
alone set up such stones. So were the Birds, whereof
I am now going to speak. a What Artemidorus has
" deliever'd concerning the Ravens, says (38) Strabo,
" sounds very much like a fable. He tells us, that
" there is a certain lake near the Ocean, which is
" call'd the lake of the two ravens, because two ravens'
" appear in it, which have some white in their wing :
" that such as have any controversy together come
u thither to an elevated place, where they set a table,
" each laying on a cake separately for himself: and
" that those birds flying thither, eat the one while
*' they scatter the other about ; so that he, whose
46 cake is thus scattered, gets the better of the dispute."
Such fables does he relate ! But I wou'd ask Stra-
60, what is there fabulous in all this ? or why shou'd
the rude Gauls and Britons being infkenc'd by the
eating or not eating of ravens, be thought more
strange or fabulous, than the tripudium solistimum of
chickens among the polite Romans ? which CASAU-
BON, I will not say how truely, thinks was deriv-

(38) Touto d' eti muthodesteron eirekea Artemidoros, to peri tous Korakas
snmbainon. Limena gar tina tes parokeanitidos historei duo korakon eponoma-
zomenon ; phainesthai d' en touto duo korakas, ten dexian pterug a para-
leukon echontas ; tous oun peri tinon amphisbetountas, aphikomenous * deuro
eph' hupselou topou, sanida thentas, epiballein psaista, ekateron ch5ris : tous
d' orneis ephiptantas ta rcen esthiein, tade skorpizein ; ou d' an skorpisthe ta
ekeinou nikan. Tauta roea oun routhodestera legei, Lib, 4- pa*. 303.

THE HISTORY

ed from these very (.9) ravens, If STRABO
gaid, that the Divination it self was superstitious
mid vain, or that it was ridiculous to imagine the
yavens cou'd discern the cake of the guilty from
that of the innocent, tho' they might greedily eat
one of them when hungry, and wantonly sport
with the other when their bellies were full, no
jnan of judgement would contradict him. As for
yavens having some white in their wings, it con-*
tains nothing fabulous, I my self having seen such,
$nd no Ornithologists omitting them. I will own in-
deed, that so uncommon a thing as white in the
wing of a raven, and for a couple of them to hold a
place so cunningly to themselves, was enough to work
vpon the superstitious fancies of ignorant people, who
laid such stress above all nations upon Augury ; so
that in this whole story of the two ravens, nothing
appears to me either fabulous or wonderful. Nay I
am persuaded ARTEMIDORUS was in the right, there
fceing examples at this time of ravens, thus securing a
place to themselves 5 and the first I shall give is, for
ought any body knows, the very place hinted by AR-
TEMIDORUS, Pr, MARTIN, in his Description of the
Jles of Scotland^ discoursing of Bernera, which is five
jnllea in circumference, and lyes about two leagues to
the south of Harries, « in this Hand* says (40) hes
« there's a couple of ravens, which beat away all

(39) In Annotations ad hunc STI^ABQNIS locum*

(40) Page 47.

OF THE DRUIDS. 173

« ravenous fowls ; and when their young are able to
« fly abroad, they beat them also out of the Hand,
« but not without many blows and a great noise."
In this Hand moreover, to remark a further agree-
ment with ARTEMIDORUS, there's a fresh-water lake
called Loch-hruist, where many land and sea-fowl
build. He tells us (41) elsewhere of another such
Couple, which are of the same inhospitable, or rather
Cautious and frugal disposition, in a little Hand near
North'Uist ; and still of such another couple (42),
in all respects, upon the He of Troda near Sky.
But as Eagles were no less birds of Augury than
ravens, the Doctor, in his account of a little Hand
near the greater one of Lewis (48), says that he saw
& couple of eagles there ; which, as the natives assured
him, would never suffer any other of their kind to
continue in the Hand; driving away their own young
ones, as soon as they are able to fly. The natives
told him further, that those eagles are so careful of
the place of their abode, that they never killed any
gheep or lamb in the Hand ; tho* the bones of lambs,
fawns, and wild-fowl, are frequently found in and
about their nests : so that they make their purchase
in the opposite Hands, the nearest of which is a
league distant. There is such another couple of
eagles, and as tender of injuring their native country,

(41) Page $0,
(43) Page

(43)

174 THE HISTORY

on the north end of St. Kilda (44) which Hands may
be viewed in the map of Scotland. I must observe
on this occasion, that there is no part of our educa-
tion so difficult to be eradicated as SUPERSTI-
TION ; which is industriously instilled into men
from their cradles by their nurses, by their parents,
by the very servants, by all that converse with them,
by their tutors and school-masters, by the poets,
orators, and historians which they read : but more
particularly by the Priests, who in most parts of the
world are hired to keep the people in error, being
commonly backed by the example and authority of
the Magistrate. Augury was formerly one of the
most universal Superstitions, equally practised by the
Greecs and the Barbarians ; certain Priests in all na-
tions, pretending, tho' by very contraiy rites and
observations, to interpret the language, the flight, and
feeding of birds : as ENEAS thus addresses HELEN
the Priest of (45) APOLLO,

Trojugena, interpret. Divum, qui numina PHOEBI,
Qui tripodas, CLARII lauros, qui sidera sentis,
Et volucrum llnguas, et praepetis' omina pennae,
Fare age.

Now to comprehend what deep root Superstition
takes, and how the sap keeps alive in the stump,
ready to sprout forth again, after the trunk and
branches have for many ages been cut off ; I beg

(44) Page 299.

(45) Virg. Aen. lib. 3.

OF THE DRUIDS. 175

your patience to hear the following story, espe-
cially since we are upon the subject of ravens.
When I was in Dublin in tho year 1697, I walk-
ed out one day to the village of Finglass, and
overtook upon the way two gentlemen of the old
Irish stock, with whom I had contracted some
acquaintance at the coffee-house. They told me
they were going a good way further, about a bu-
siness of some importance • and not many minutes
after one of them cried out with joy to the other,
see cousin, by heaven matters will go well : point-
ing at the same instant to a raven feeding and
hopping hard by, which had a white feather or
two in the wing that was towards us. The o-
ther appeared no less transported, nor would they
stir till they saw what way the raven flew ; which be-
ing to the south of them, and with a great noise,
they were fully confirmed about the success of
their business. This brought to my remembrance
that oblative Augury in (4*6) VIRGIL :

Scarce had he said, when full before his sight •*,
Two doves, descending from their airy flighty >
Secure upon the grassy plain alight——

With watchful sight

Observing still the motions of their flight,
What course they took, what happy sign* they shew I
They fledt and, fluttering by degrees, withdrew-*— &c*

DR YD EN'S Translat*

(46) . . Geminae cum forte Columbae

Ipsa sub ora viri coelo venere volantes,

Et viridi sedere solo vestigia pressit,

Observans quae signa ferant, quo tendere pergant.

Aeneid, lib, 6, ver, 190,

1 76 THE HISTORY

Nor was I unmindful, you may be sure, of that pas*
sage in (47) PLAUTUS,

'Tis not for nought, that the Raven sings now on my left ;
And, croaking, has once scrap* d the earth with his feet.

Upon my putting some questions to those gentlemen,
they said it was certain by the observation of all agesj
that a raven having any white in its wihgs* and flying
on the right hand of any person, croaking at the
same time* was an infallible presage of good luck,
J used a great many arguments to show them the
vanity and unreasonableness of this piece of Supersti-
tion, comparing it amootig other extravagancies, to the
no less absurd one of dreams ; where if one happens by-
chance to come to pass, while ten thousand fail, these
are forgot and the other remembered. But I am
persuaded all I did or could say, even my argument
AD HOMINEM, in proving that Augury was specially
forbid by the Law of MOSES, would have made little
impression on them ; had it not been that they mis-
carryed in what they went about, as one of them
candidly owned to me some weeks afterwards, who
could then listen to my reasons, and seemed to taste
them. Thus far have I been led by the ravens of
ARTRMIDORUS. But I have not rambled yet so far
after birds as the old Gauls, " whereof a part, to use

(47) Non temere est, quod corvos cantat mihi rmnc ab

laeva manu ;

Semel radebat pedibus terj am* et voce crocitabat
sua.

Aulul Aet. 4, Seen* & ver, 1*

OF THE DRUIDS, 177

" the words of (4*8) JUSTIN after TROGUS, settled in
" Italy, which took and burnt the city of Rome ;
" while another part of them penetrated into the
" Illyric bays, by the slaughter of the Barbarians, and
" under the guidance of birds, FOR THE GAULS EX-

" CELL ALL OTHERS IN THE SKILL OF AUGURY,

" settled in Pannonia :" telling next, how, after di-
viding their forces, they invaded Greece, Macedonia,
and most parts of Asia, where they founded the Gal-
logrecian Tetrarchy. But still you see they were
birds, that guided those famous expeditions.

V. I have by good authorities shown before,
that the antientest Greec writers had much great-
er certainty, and knew many more particulars, con-
cerning the Brittish Hands, even the most remote
and minute, than such as came after them ; by
reason that the Grecian trade hither, open'd first
by the Phenicians, had been for a long time in-
terrupted, or rather quite abandon'd. Thus in
time the original Relations came to be looked up-
on as so many fables, at which I do not so much
wonder in any man, as in the most judicious of
all Geographers and the most instructive, I mean
the Philosopher STRABO. These later Greecs were
implicity credited and transcribe by the Roman

(48) Ex his portio in Italia consedit, quae et urbem
Romam captain incendit ; et portio Illyricos sinus, duci-
bus Avibus (nam Augurandi studio Galli praeter ceteros
callent) per strages Barbarorum penetravit, et ia Pannonia
consedit. Lib, 24, cap. 4

THE HISTORY

writers, till Britain came to be fully known, hav-
ing rather been shown than conquer'd by JULIUS
CESAR ; and scarce believed to be an Hand, tho' it
was constantly affirmed to be so by the most antient
discoveries, till VESPASIAN'S Lieutenant, AGRICOLA,
found it beyond all possibility of contradiction to be
an (4*9) Hand, part of the Roman fleet sailing round
it. But of the remotest Hands there has been no
exact account from that time to this. That of
DONALD MONRO, in JAMES the fifth of Scotland's
time, is very imperfect : and tho' in our own time
Doctor MARTIN, who is a native of one of those
Hands, has travelled over them all to laudable pur-
pose ; yet his descriptions are in many instances too
short, besides that he omits several observations,
which his own materials show he ought to have fre-
quently made. Considering therefore the curious
things out of him and others, that may be agree-
ably read in my two former Letters, together with
many more accounts of Monuments there, which
I have from good hands, I own that I am pas-
sionately desirous to spend one Summer in those
Hands, before the History of the Druids makes
its public appearance in the world. But I return
to the antient writers who mention the remotest
Brittish Hands, of whom PYTHEAS of Massilia, a
Greec colony in Gaule, now Marseilles, is the very

(49) Hanc oram novissimi maris tune primum Ro-
xnana Classis circumvecta, insuiam esse Britanniam a£-
firrnavit. Tacit, in Vita Agric. cap. 10.

OF THE DRUIDS.

first on record. He liv'd in the time of ALEX-
ANDER the Great, and published his Geographical
work, or rather his Voyages, intitled (.50) the
Tour of the Earth before his contemporary Ti-
MEUS wrote, or DICEARCHUS, or ERATOSTHENES, or
POLYBIUS ; who followed each other, and who in
some things disagree. This PYTHEAS, and also one
EUTHYMENES, were sent by the Senate of Mar-
seilles to make discoveries ; the former to the
north, the latter to the south. EUTHYMENES, sail-
ing along the coast of Africa past the line : and
PYTHEAS, landing in Britain and Ireland, as well
as on the German coast and in Scandinavia, sail-
ed beyond Iceland. Both the one and the other
made such discoveries, as long past for fables :
but time, by means of our modern navagation,
has done both of them justice. PYTHEAS, on his
part, was terribly decry'd by STRABO, who with-
out ceremony calls him (51) a most lying felow :
tho* he's since found, and now known by every
body, to be much more in the right than him-
self. Nothing is more exact, than what he has
related, or that is related after him, of the tem-
perature of the Brittish climate, of the length of
tlie nights and days, of the strange birds and
monstrous fishes of the Northern Ocean : nor is
it a small loss, that a Treatise he wrote in par-

(50) Ges periodos. Scholiast, in Apollonii Argonautica, Lib. 4. ad «cr&, 761.
($1) Putheas auer pesudestatcs eksetastai. Lib. 1. p, 110.

180 THE HISTORY

ticular of the Ocean has perished with his other
works, whereof we have onely a few fragments,
He was the first, for ought appears, that mention-
ed Thule, meaning thereby the utmost inhabited
Hand beyond Britain ; from which he says it is
about (52) six days sail, and near the frozen sea,
which perfectly agrees to Iceland. But STRABO
denies that there was ever any (53) Thule, or
that any thing beyond Iceland, which he places to the
north of Great Britain, whereas it Is due west
of it, either was or cou'd be inhabited. " They,
" says he, in his (5&) first Book, who have seen
" Brittish Ireland, speak nothing about Thule, but
" onely that there are several small Hands near
" Britain." In the second Book, he (55) says,

(52) . .. • Dia "Thoules, hen phSsi Putheas apo men tes Bretanikes heks he-
tneron ploun apechein pros arktoa, engus deinai t5s pepeguias thalattes. Ibid,
pag. 109.

(53) Tul in the ancient language signifies naked and
bleak, as Iceland has neither tree nor shrub; so that Tul-i,
without any alteration, is the naked Hand, the most proper
name for Iceland, and which foreners must have naturally
learnt, of the Britons, whether Ibernian or Albionian. Tul,
gach ni nocht, Tul is every naked thing, says O CLERY in
his Vocabulary of obsolete words. It was a slender affinity
of sound, that made Ila (one of the western Scottish lies)
to be taken for Thule • for neither is it the utmost land of
Europe, nor yet of the Brittish Hands themselves. See
what 1 have written in the second book concerning the dis-
putes about Thule.

(54) Hoi ten BretarrkSn lerrsf-n idon*»s, onden peri £>» Thoules legousin ;
alias nesotts lagontes michras peri ten Bretaniken. Ibid. pag. 110.

(5*») Ho de ge apo tes Ke.ltikes pros arktftn, pious cschatos legetai para
tcis rmn, ho eti ten lernfn, epeicina men ousan tes Bretanikes, athlios de dia
psucbos oikoumenen : hoste ta opt'keina nomiztin aoiketa. Id. Lib. 2. pag. 124.

OF THE DRUIDS. 181

" The utmost place of navigation w our time,
« from Gaule towards the north, is said to be
" Ireland ; which being situated beyond Britain,
" is by reason of the cold, with difficulty inhabit-
" ed : so that all beyond it," continues he, « Is
" reckoned uninhabitable." This of Ireland, name-
ly, that it is the north of Britain, and scarce
habitable for cold, he repeats again in two or
three places ; from which he draws this conclusion,
that there is no Thule at all, since nothing is
habitable beyond Ireland : which therefore, ac-
cording to him, is the most northerly part of
the habitable earth. You see here how much
more in the right PYTHEAS was, who liv'd in
the time of Alexander, than Strabo who lived in
the time of Augustus and Tiberius ; and that it
is a proceeding no less impertinent than unjust,
to have any man contradicted who was upon the
spot, but by such others as were also there: un-
less the things related be manifestly impossible,
or that the relator is no competent judge ; as if
a traveller, who understands no mathematics, should
affirm the Malabarians to be the best Mathema-
ticians in the world. But STRABO, who, notwith-
standing all these gross mistakes in the extremi-
ties of Europe, is one of the foremost authors
in my esteem : STRABO, I say, a little lower in
the same book, as doubting whether he was in
the right, and pretending » it was no great matter
should he be in . the wrong, affirms that at least

182 THE HISTORY

it is not known whether there be any habitable
place beyond Ireland, which he still places to the
north of Britain, " nor (56) is it of any importance
" to the Prince, says he, to have an exact no-
" tice of such regions or their inhabitants ; espe-
« daily should they live in such Hands, which
" cannot contribute any thing to our damage or
u profit, meaning the Romans, there being no in-
" tercourse between us." This reflection might
perhaps be true with respect to the Emperor and
the Empire : yet it is . a very lame reason for a
Geographer, who is accurately to describe all places,
let them have relation to his Prince or not. But
the truth of it is, he would not believe the an-
tient Greec and Massilian sailors ; neither had he
any better information himself, whereby to sup-
ply or to correct them.

VI. As for Ireland, it was very well known to
the more antient Geographers, as I showed before ;
it being directly in the way of the Phenicians, who
are said by (57) ARISTOTLE to have discovered it,
when they sailed for Britain. Lying therefore so
conveniently for the Phenicians, Grecians, Spaniards*

(56) Pros te tas Hegemonikas chreias ouden an eie pleonckteraa, tas toi-
autas gnorizein choras kai tons oikountas : kai malista ei nesous oikein toiautas,
hai mete lupein mete, ophelein hemas dunanta raeden, dia to anepiplekton*
Ibid pag. 176.

(57) En te thalasse, te ekso Herakleion stelon, pha^in hupo KarchedoniSn
neson eurethenai eremen, echousan hulen te panto«ape, kai potamous plotans,
kai tois Soipois Karpois thaumasten, apechonsan de pleionon hemeron ; et quac
teqvuntur illic rch'g«<^ Hiberniae imprimis convenicntia. De Mirahil. Auscultat.

OF THE DRUIDS. 183

and Gauls, it was always a place of great trade : and
for this reason TACITUS (58) says, agreeable to the
Irish annals, " that it's ports were better known for
" trade, and more frequented by merchants, than
" those of Britain." Neither is PYTHEAS'S account
of the frozen sea, any more than that of Thule, a
fable. Whoever was in Greenland, knows it to be
literally true. It is therefore, in the antient Greee
and Roman books, called the Icy, the slow, (59) the
congealed, the dead sea ; as I have read that it is in
some Arabic books very properly written, the dark
sea and the sea of pitch. In the oldest Irish books
it is called by words (60) that import the foul, and
the foggy sea; and likewise Muir-chroinn, or the
coagulated (61) sea, from the word Croinn, which
signifies close and thick as well as (62) round. From
this original, which Pytheas and other travellers
learnt no doubt from the Britons, this sea was named
(63) Cronium : and not, as afterwards invented from
the mere sound, because Cronos, or Saturn, was in-

(58) Melius aditus portusque, per commercia et ne-
gotiatores, cogniti. Vit. Agric. cap. 24.

(59) Mare glaciate, pigrum, congelatum, mortuum.
(6QJ Muircheacht, Muircheoach.

(61) Mare concretum.

(62) Crunn has the same signification in Welsh ; and
Cronni or Croinnigh in both the languages signifies to ga-
ther, to obstruct, to heap, and particularly Cronni to thicken
or stagnate waters : so that this derivation of the Cronian,
and congeal'd seat cannot be reasonably call'd in question.

(63) Hals ironic,

184 THE HISTORY

chanted in Ogygia, an Hand west of Britain ; which
is fabulously reported by (64) Plutarch and other
writers, who have hitherto been inconsiderately fol-
lowed by every .body. I wonder they do not
affirm after them, since they may do so with equal
reason, that some of the west and north Brittish
Hands are possest by (65) heroes and departed souls,
The northern sea, even before one comes to the Icy
part, and perhaps most properly, may be termed slow
and dead, by reason of the Rousts, or meetings of
contrary Tides ; whose conflict is sometimes so equal,,
that they are a great impediment to the boat or ship's
way : nay sometimes, tho' under sail, they can make
no way at all ; but are very often impetuously whirled
round, and now and then quite swallowed up. This
kind of shipwraek is no less naturally than elegantly
described by VIRGIL, when he relates the fate of
ORONTES who commanded a ship under ENEAS :

Ipsius ante oculos inserts a vertice pontus
In pup-pirn ferit ; excutitur, pronusque wagister
Volmtur in caput : ast illam ter fluctus ibidem
Tvrquet agens circum, et rapidus vorat aequore vortex.

Aen. lib. 1.
I should not forget here, that, upon the discovery of

(64) De facie in orbe Lunae : de Defectu Oraculor. Vi-
dendi etiam ORPHEUS in Argonauticit, PLINIUS, SOLIN-
us, ISAACIUS TZETZES in LYCOPHRONIS Alexandram, &c*

(65) lidem consulendi, quorum in Annotatione praece-
denti mentio : nee non in HOSATII Epodam 16 commen-
tautes legendi.

OF THE DRUIDS. 185

Thule by Pytheas, one Antonius Diogenes wrote a
Homance in twenty four books, which he intituled the
Incredibilities of Thule ; where he laid his scene, and
whereof Photius has given some (66) account. I
have dwelt the longer upon these Hands, because
they did not onely, like the other parts of Britain,
abound with Druids, who have there left various
memorials of themselves : but also because the last
footing they had in the world was here, which makes
it little less than essential to my subject. Nor was
it in the lie of Man alone, that a peculiar Govern-
ment was set up by their procurement or approba-
tion ; as you have read in my second Letter of
their Disciple, the admirable Legislator Manan-
nan. There was likewise another Government of
their erection, singular enough, in the (67) Hebudes ;
where better provision was made against the chang-
ing of an elective into a hereditary Monarchy, and
against all other exorbitances of the Prince, than
ever I read in any author antient or modern. So-
linus speaking of these Hands, " there is one Ring,
« says (68} he, over them all; for they are, as

(66) Ton huper Thoulen aplston logoi kd. In Bibliothecat cod. 166,

(67) Another name for the Western lies, equivalent to
the Hebrides : if they were not originally the same, hav-
ing perhaps by the mistake of Transcribers been written
for each other ; nothing being easier, than to confound ui
with rit or ri with ui, as antientiy written.

(68) Rex unus est universis : nam quotquot fitmt, om-

nes angusta interiuvie dividuntur. Rex nihii suum habet.

186 THE HISTORY

ss many as be of them, divided onely by narrow
°* channels. This King has nothing of his own,
" but shares of every thing that every man has.
" He is by certain Laws obliged to observe
" equity : and lest avarice should make him de-
" viate from the right way, he learns justice
" from Poverty ; as having no manner of pro-
" perty, being maintained upon the public ex-
" pence. He has not as much as a wife of his
" own, but by certain turns makes use of any
" woman towards whom he has an inclination. ;
" whence it happens, that he has neither the de-
" sire nor the hope of any children." 5Tis pity
this author has not specify ed those Laws, by which
equity was prescribed to the Hebudian Monarch,
in injoying what was proper for him of other
men's goods : and that he has not told us, how
those vicissitudes were regulated, whereby he had
the temporary use of other men's wives, who
nevertheless were to father all the children. As
I showed this passage one day to a couple of
my friends, one of them readily agreed, that the
State must needs find their account in this con-
stitution ; both as it saved the expence of trea-
sure in maintaining a numerous Royal Progeny,

omnia universorum. Ad aequitalem certis Legibus strin-
gitur; ac, ne avaritia divertat a vero, discit paupertate
justitiam : utpote cui nihil sit rei familiaris, verum alitur
e publico. Nulla illi datur foemina propria ; sed per vi-
cissitudines, in quacunque commotustsit, usurariam sumit;
\rnde ei nee votum, nee spes, Liberorunh Cap. 22.

OF THE DRUIDS. 187

and as it saved the expence of blood in settling
their several claims or contentions : but had it
not been, said he, for the strict care taken against
accumulating riches or power on the Prince, I
should have naturally thought, that it was one
of those Druidical Priests, who had thus advan-
tageously carved for himself. Hereupon the other
replyed, that he fancyed such Priests would be
contented to have plentiful eating and drinking,
and variety of women, thus established by Law
for them; since it was for no other end, he con-
ceived, but to obtain these, that they struggled
so hard any where for power and riches. But
if this were so, the Druids could be at no manr
ner of loss about their pleasures ; considering the
sway they bore in the civil authority, and their
management of the much more powerful engine
of Superstition : " for without the Druids, who
" understand Divination and Philosophy, says (69)
" DION CHRYSOSTOM, the Kings may neither do
" nor consult any thing ; so that in reality they
(t are the Druids who reign, while the Kings,
46 tho' they sit on golden thrones, dwell in spa-
** cious palaces, and feed on costly dishes, are
<£ onely their Ministers, and the executioners of

(59) Keltoi de hous onomazousi Druidas, kai teutons peri mantiken ontas
kai ten alien sophian, hon aneu tois Basileusin ouden eksen prattein oude bou-
lesthai ; hoste to men alethes ekeinous archein, tous de* basiieas auton hupere-
tas kai diakonous gegnethai tes gnomes, en thronois chrusois kathemenous, kaii
oikias magalas oikountas, kai polutimos euochoumenous. De recus&tione Magi*
cfrif, in Senate, pag. 538. Edit. Paris.

188 THE HISTORY

" their Sentence." Judge now what influence those
Priests had upon the People, when they might
thus control the Prince; and consequently, whe-
ther they could possibly want any thing, that
brought them either pleasure or power. The Kings
bore all the envy, and the Druids possesst all
the sweets of authority.

VII. But leaving both a while, I submitt to
your Lordship's consideration, upon such evidences
and proofs as I am going to produce; whether
the Hyperborean Ilandy so much celebrated by an-
tiquity, be not some one or more of the remotest
Brittish Hands : and particularly the great Hand
of Lewis and Harries, with its apendages, and
the adjacent Hand of Sky ; which in every cir-
cumstance agree to the description that DIODORUS
SICULUS gives of the Hand of the Hyperboreans.
Let's mention some of those circumstances. He

(70) says that the Harp was there in great re-
pute, as indeed it is still ; every Gentlemen hav-
ing one in his house, besides a multitude of
Harpers by profession, intertained gratis wherever
the come. He tells us, that above all other Gods

(71) they worshipt APOLLO; which, in my first
Letter, I evidently show they did under the name

(70) Ton de katoikounton auten tous pleistcus einai Kitharistas. Lib.
pag. 130.

•

(71) Ton ApollS malista t5a allon theon par' autois timasthai. Ibid.

OF THE DRUIDS. 189

of BELENUS (72). He says further, that besides
a magnificent sacred Grove, Apollo's remarkable
Temple (73) there was round, whereof I have
given a particular description and plan in my
second Letter (74), it subsisting in great part
still. He affirms that they had a peculiar Dia-
lect, which in reality continues the same to this
day; it being Earse, or the sixth among the Cel-
tic Dialects I enumerated in my first Letter: and
approaching so near to that of the Irish, that
these and the Ilanders discourse together without
any difficulty. But, omitting several other mat-
ters no less concordant, he adds, that the Hand
was frequented of old by the (75) Greecs, and
in friendship with them; which will be easily
admitted, after perusing the fourth and fifth Sec-
tions of this present Letter* where I manifestly
prove this intercourse. I very well know, that
others, who are far from agreeing among them-
selves, do place the Hyperboreans elsewhere: nor
am I ignorant that diverse, after the example
of (76) ANTONIUS DIOGENES'S Thulian Romance,

(72) In the Celtic language BEAL and BEALAN.

(73) Huparchein tie kata ten neson temenos te Apollonos megaloprepes, kaf
Boon aksiologon, anathemas! pollois kekosmemenon, sphairoeide to scheruati.
Ibid.

(74) Section XL

(75) Pros tous Hellenas oikeiotata diakeisthai, &c. Ibid

(76) See the last Section.

190 THE HISTORY

have indeavored to divert their readers, no less
than themselves, with Hyperborean fictions ; and
so made such variations of site or circumstances,
as best suited their several plans, to speak no-
thing of such as were grossly ignorant in Geo-
graphy. Allowances ought to be made for all
these things. And the Hyperborean continent
(which was questionless the most northern part
of Scythia, or of Tartary and Muscovy, stretch-
ing quite to Scandinavia, or Sweden and Nor-
way) this Hyperborean continent, I say, must be
carefully distinguished from the Hyperborean Hand ;
whose soil was more temperate and fertile, as its.
inhabitants more civilized, harmless, and happy.
But, to prevent all cavils, I declare before-hand,
that as by Thule I mean onely that of Pytheas,
or Iceland, and not the conjectures or mistakes
of people that lived long after him ; some mak-
ing it to be Ireland, others Schetland, which I
believe to be the Thule of (77) Tacitus, others
the northernmost part of Great Britain, and others
other (73) places : so by the Hand of the Hyper-
boreans, I mean that described by Diodorus Sicu-
lus after Hecateus and others, as being an Hand
27i the Ocean beyond (19) Gaule to the north* or

(77) Insulas, qus Orcadas vocant, invenit domuitque.
Despecta est et Thule, quam hactenus nix et hiems abde-
bat. In vita Agric. cap. 10.

(78) See the Essay concerning the Thule of the Antients9
by Sir ROBERT SIBBALD. f

(79) i , , , En tois antiperan tes Kcltikes topois, kata ton okeanon,

OF THE DRUIDS. 191

WWr\9Ba***am***mfO**fm*mimffm*m*t*m*mf**mmmUt»mm*mmmmi^

under the Bear, where people lived with no Ies3
simplicity, than indolence and contentment ; and
which Orpheus, or, if you please, Onomacritus,
very rightly places near the (80) Cronian or Dead
Sea. 3Tis by this situation, as hereafter more
particularly marked, that I am willing to be
judged: showing it also to be an Hand near the
Scots, whether Hibernian or Albanian ; who are,
by (81) Claudian, made borderers on the Hyper-
borean Sea. From this Hand the Argonauts, after
touching there coming out of the Cronian Ocean,
according to Orpheus, sailed to (82) Ireland in
the Atlantic Ocean ; and so to the (83) Pillars
of Hercules, where they entered again into the
Mediterranean (84). No marks can be plainer,

einai neson, out elatto tes Sikelias ; tauten huparchein men kata tous arktous.
Lib. 2. pag. 130.

(80) Kronionte epikleskousi

Ponton huperboreen meropes nekrente thalassan.

Argonaut, ver. 1079,

(81) - — — Scotumque vago mucrone secutus,,

Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus undas.

De 3 Cons. Honor, ver. 55«

(83) Ankaios d'oiakas epistamenos etitaine,

Par d'ara nesoa ameiben leraida . « i>

Ibid. ver. 1140.

(83) Kuma diapressontes, ana storaa ternesoio

Hikoraetha, stelaisi d'ekelsaraen Herakleew.

Jbid. ver. 1240,

(84) Now the Straits of Gibraltar.

192 THE HISTORY

so there is no other Hand, those of Faroe and
Iceland excepted, but the northwest Brittish Hands,
between the Cronian and the Atlantic Ocean, as
every one knows that has once looked into a map;
which express situation of the Hyperborean Hand,
together with its being said by Diodorus to ly
beyond the Gallic regions towards the north, or
the Bear, the frequent use .of the Harp there,
and the worship of Apollo in a round Temple,
amounts I think to as full a proof as any thing
of this nature requires. Diodorus adds, in the
place where I last quoted him, that the Hyper-
borean City and Temple .were always governed
by the family of the (85) Boreads (£6), who
with no more probability were the descendants of
BOREAS, an imaginary Person or Deity, than the
Hyperboreans were so called, from being situated
more northerly than the (87) North-wind: but in
reality they were then, as they are still, govern-
ed by their chiefs or heads of tribes, whom they
called in their own language Boireadhach ; that
is to say, the Great ones, or powerful and vali-
ant men, from Borr9 antiently signifying Gran-
deur and (88) Majesty. The Greecs have in a

(85) Basileueinte tes poleos tautes, kai torn temenous eparchein tous onomaz-
oroenous Boreadas, apogonous outas Boreou, kai katageaos aiei diadechasthai taj
archas. Lib. 2. pag. 130.

(86) BOREADES.
(87) Apo ton prossotero keisthai tes borciou ^pnoes. Lib. 2.

As for these words Borr and Buireadhach or Boin«

OF THE DRUIDS. 193

thousand instances applyed foren words to the very
different sense of other words approaching to the
same sound in their own language. Their first
sailors into those parts gave the Ilanders the name
of Hyperboreans, from their lying so far towards
the North with respect to the straights of HER-
CULES, (89) for which I have indisputable au-
thorities ; and after having once thus stiFd them,
they greedily catch'd' at the allusive sound of their
Leaders or Magistrates, Greclzing %those Grandees,
or BoiRtfADHACH, into BOREADES : which was li-
terally understood in Greece of the fabulous ' des-
cendants of BOREAS, very consonantly to their
Mythology, or, if you will, to their Theology. But
I noted (90) before, that PLATO, in his Cratylus,
was of (91) opinio?i the Greecs had borrowed many
words from the Barbarians ; especially* adds he,

cdkach " the vowels » and o being with us most frequently
put for each other" I might appeal to several authentic
Manuscripts ; but, because such are not obvious to many*
I chuse rather to refer my readers to the Seanasan nuadh,
or printed vocabulary of obsolete words by O CLERY, and
to LHUYD'S printed Irish-English Dictionary: so that these
words are no children of fancy, as but too frequently hap-
pens in Etymologies. From the same root are Borragach
counigious, and Burrthoradh awe or worship, with the like.

(89) Now of Gibraltar.

(90) Letter II. Section V.

(9 1) Eanoo gar, hote polla hoi Hellenes onotnata, allos te kai hoi hupo
tois barbarois oikouutes, para tpa barbaron eilejphasi. Inter Opera, Edit. Pori?.
Firf. 1. pap 409.

B 2

191 THE HISTORY

of the Greecs as llv'd in the Barbarian ^ter-
ritories : . which may be fairly supposed to include
those who navigated, or that drove any traffic
among them. And hence1 the divine Philosopher
himself draws this accurate (92) inference, " That
'• if any man would indeavor to adjust the Ety-
" mologies of those words with the Greec lan-
" /^iiage, and not rather seek for them in that
" to which they originally belong, he must needs
" be at a loss," , '"Tis farther most deserving
observation, that' ERATOSTHENES, an antient Chro-
nologer and Geographer of vast reputation for
Learning, speaking of APOLLO'S famous Arrow,
with which he slew ~the Cyclopes, and in honor
of which one of the Constellations is> so called,
says that (93) " he hid it among the Hyper-
" boreans, where there is his Temple made of
" wings, or a winged Temple," the words being
capable of both senses. If the latter was the
meaning of ERATOSTHENES, we have already given
the Description of such a winged Temple, yet
standing there : and if the former, no place un-
der heaven could furnish more feathers,, nor of
more various kinds, to adorn men or buildings,
than those same / Hands ; where many of the in-
habitants pay thek rent with them, and make a

(92) Ei tis Zetoi tauta kata ten Helleniken phonen hos eolkotos keitai, al-
ia me kat' ekeinea ex hes to ouoina tunchanei on, oistha hoti aporoi an. Ibid*

(93) Ekmpse de auto (lo toksikon) en hup^boreiois, hou kai ho naos ho
pterinos. Jn Catastermis, inter Qpiiscula Mythologica et Physica. Edit. Ant!-
pag. 124.

OF THE DRUIDS. 195

considerable, profit besides. For this reason per-
haps, and not from its promontories, the He of
Skie is in the language of the natives called
Scianach, (94<) or the" winged Hand, whereof the
English name Skie is an abbreviation or corrup-
tion. Now, if the Hebrides were the Hyperbo-
reans of DIODORUS, as I fancy it can scarce
hereafter be doubted, then the most celebrated
ABARIS was both of that Country and likewise
a Druid, having been the (9,5) Priest of APOLLO.
SUIDAS, who knew not the distinction of Insular Hy-
perboreans, makes him a Scythian ; as do some
others misled by the same vulgar error, tlio'
DIODORUS has truly fixed his country in the Hand,
not on the continent. And indeed their fictions
or blunders are infinite concerning our Abaris.
This is certain however among them all, that he
travelled quite over (93) Greece, and fro in thence
into Italy, where he familiarly conversed with
PYTHAGORAS; who fovoured him beyond all his
Disciples, by imparting his doctrines to him, espe-
cially his thoughts of nature, in a more com-

pendious and plainer method, than to any others.

(94) Oihan Sciatha?iach.

(95) To men £ar hoti ton raSron clirusoun epcdeiksen Abaridito Huperboreo,
cikasanti auton Apollona einai ton en Huperboreois, houper en hjereus ho A«
barls, bebaionta hos touto alcthes tethrullotai. Porphyrius in vita Pythacorae.
et iisdtm cquidem verbis habct Jamblichus, lib. 1. cop.1 28.

(96) Hosautos de kai ek ton huperboreori Abariu eis ten Hellada katan-
, tt-santa to palaioa. &e. Ubi supra.

THE HISTORY

This distinction could not but highly redound to
the advantage of Abaris. For, the reasons of
Pythagoras^ backwardness and retention in com-
municating his doctrines, being, in the first place,
that he might eradicate, if possible, out of the
minds of his Disciples all vitious and turbulent
passions, forming them by degrees to a habit of
virtue, which is the best preparative for receiv-
ing Truth ; as, next, to fit them, by a compe-
tent knowlege of the Mathematical Sciences, for
reasoning with exactness about those higher con-
templations of nature, into which they were to
be initiated; and, lastly, to have repeated proofs
of their discretion in concealing "such important
discoveries from the ignorant and the wicked, the
latter being unworthy, and the former incapable
of true Philosophy : it follows therefore, that he
judged Abaris already sufficiently prepared in all
these respects, and so he obliged him with an
immediate communication of his most inward sen-
timents; concealed from others under the vail of
numbers, or of some other enigmatical Symbols.
The Hyperborean in return presented the Samian,
as if he had equalled Apollo himself in Wisdom,
with the sacred Arrow ; riding astride which he's
fabulously reported by the Greec writers, to have
flown in the air over rivers and lakes, forests
and mountains : as our vulgar still believe, and
no where more than in the • Hebrides, that wi-
zards and witches waft whither they please upoa

OF THE DRUIDS.

Broom-sticks. But what was hid under this Ro-
mantic expedition, with the true meaning of the
Arrow it self, the nature of the predictions that
Abaris spread in Greece, and the doctrines that
he learnt at Crotona; with the conceit of these
Hyperboreans that Latona the mother of Apollo,
was born among them, nay that he was so too,
and their most exact astronomical cycle of nine-
teen years : these particulars, I say, you'll read at
large in my History of the Druids, stript of all
fable and disguise ; as well as a full discussion of
the Question, about which antient writers are di-
vided, " whether the Druids learnt their (97) sym-
" bolical and enigmatical method of teaching, to-
" gether with the doctrine of Transmigration from
" Pythagoras, or that this Philosopher had borrow-
" ed these particulars from the Druids?" The
Communication between them was easy enough, not
only by means of such travellers as Pythagoras
and Abaris, but also by the nearness of Gaule to
Italy: tho' there will still remain another Ques-
tion, viz. whether the Egyptians had not these
things before either of them ; and therefore whe-
ther they did not both receive them from the E-
gyptians ?

VIII. Yet before all things we must here exa-
mine what can be offered, with any color, against

(97) Kai phasi tons men Guranosophistas kai Druidas ainig-matodos &poph«
thengomenous philophesai. Diogcn, Lacrt* in prooem. Sect. 6.

198 THE HISTORY

Our account of the Hyperborean Hand; after that
so many circumstances, and particularly the situa-
tion, seem to point demonstratively to the true
place; nor certainly, when things are duely con-
sidered, will the objections that have been started
in private conversation, as I know of no other that
can be publickly made, be found to have the
least difficulty. Thule x>r Iceland, rightly placed
by Claudian in the (98) Hyperborean Climate, be-
sides the incongruities of the soil and the intem-
perateness of the air, is distinguished by Diodorus
himself from the Hand in question : and the lies
of Faroe, being onely a parcel of barren rocks of
veiy small extent, without any monuments of anti-
quity, deserve not so much as to be mentioned
on this occasion. Neither indeed has any of my
acquaintance insisted on either of these. But Dio-
dorus, says one of them, tho' exactly agreeing to
your situation or that of Orpheus, and that your
other circumstances do perfectly tally to his de-
scription : yet is different in this, that he speaks
onely of oi>e Hand, not less than (99) Sicily;
whereas you understand this of several Hands, which
altogether have scarce that extent. I answer, that
the marks of the right place which I have men-

(98) -. Te, quo libet ire, sequemur :

Te vel Hyperboreo damnatam sidere Thulen,
Te vel ad incensas Libyae comitabor arenas.

In Rtifin. lib. 2.

(99) Out ektto tes Sikelias. l^bi supra,

OF THE DRUIDS. 199

tioned already, and such others as I shall present-
ly alledge, will more than counterbalance any mis-
take, if there be any, about the bigness of the
Hand. Travellers and Mariners, who either have
not been ashore or not staid long enough in any
place to survey it, are known to speak onely by
guess, and frequently very much at random. Has
not Great Britain it self, so much celebrated, as
PLINY justly (100) writes, by the Greec and Ro-
man authors, been taken to be of vast extent, and
not certainly known by the 'Romans to be an
Hand, till the time (101) of Vespasian ? Endless
examples of this kind might easily be produced.
And as for the multitude of those Hands, which
are separated onely by narrow channels, it makes
nothing at all against me. For, besides that such
an aggregation of Hands is often taken in com-
mon speech for onely one ; as not to go out of our
own Dominions, such is Schetland, in name one
country, but in effect consisting of more than 30
Hands : so there are several indications, joined to
the Tradition of the Inhabitants, of which see Dr.
MARTIN in his Account of Saint Kilda and else-
where, that some of those western Hands have
been formerly united, and many of them nearer
each other than at present. However, taking them
as they now are, Lewis, otherwise call'd the Long

(100) See Section III.

(101) See Section V.

200 THE HISTORY

Iland^ being at least a hundred miles in (102)
length, Skie forty, several of the rest above four
and twenty each, and all appearing as one Hand,
having many winding bays or inlets, to one who
sails without them, or that touches onely at some
of the greatest; considering this, I say, the mis-
take will not be reckoned so enormous in a sailor
or stranger, if he compares them in the lump to
Sicily for extent. Another person granting all
this, objects that JDiodorus represents the Hyper-
borean Hand a very (103) temperate region;
which, according to my friend, cannot be said of
any place in the northern Latitude of 58, and
partly of 59. But whoever has travelled far him-
self, or read the Relations of such as have ; will
be convinced that the seasons in every region of
the world, do not always answer to their posi-
tion : of which the causes are various, as huge
ridges of mountains, the neighborhood of vast
lakes or marshes, winds blowing from ' places co-
vered with snow, or the like. Thus Britain and
Ireland are known, not onely to be much more
temperate than the places on the Continent of the
same position with them, but even than some of

(102)1 reckon as Dr. MARTIN and the natives do, from
the most northerly point of Lewis to Bernera south or'Bar-
Tah, this string of Hands being onely divided by channels
mostly fordable : <md if it be considered that. I make
use of Scottish miles, eve'fy- place is at least a third
part more, according to the English or Italian measure.

(103) Ousan d' autea eugeionte kai pamphoran, eti de eukrasia diapherott*
saa, dittgus kat' etgs ekphereia karpous. L"i»i supra.

OF THE DRUIDS. 201

such as are more southerly ; by reason of the
sault vapors and continual agitations of the sur-
roundirig Ocean, which dissolve, allay, and miti-
gate the frosts and winds blowing from the Con-
tinent. This holds as true with regard to the

Hebrides, which by experience are allow'd to be
yet more temperate ; the snow not lying near so
long as in Britain, and a tepid vapor being very
sensible there in the midst of winter. This was
enough to fill the greec sailors with admiration,
which to us ought to be none ; since their learn-
ed men often spoke of many places, not as they
actually were in themselves, but as in their specu-
lations they imagined they ought to be : without con-
sidering whether there might not occur some of the
diversifying circumstances we have just now hinted, or
any others begetting the like influences. But that
most sagacious interpreter of nature, HIPPOCRATES,
knew better things, when he taught what he learnt
by experience, having been an Ilander himself, that
Hands, situated (104) far in the sea, are kindly warm,
and that no snow can lie on them in winter ; while
such as are near the shore become scarce habitable for
cold, by reason of the snow and ice remaining on the
continent, which from thence transmit bleak winds
into those Hands. The antients, who judged of places
where they never were by their bare positions, did

(104) Ton dc neson, hai men eng-us ton epeiron, dusrheimeroterai eisin ;
hai de pontiai, aleinoterai ton cheimona : dioti hai clones kai pagoi en men
tesin epeiroisin echousi stasia, kai ta pneumata psuchra pempousin es tas engus
Ta de pelagia ouk echei stasiu en cheimoni. De Diaeta, lib, 2. cap. 3.

C 2

§09 THE HISTORY

consequently enough from thence conclude the torrid
Zone to be inhabitable : but since this Zone has not
onely been frequently visited, but is daily penetrated
to the temperate and cold Zones beyond it, it is not
onely found every where inhabited ; but those breezes
and showers, with other causes, that make living
there very comfortable, are the common themes of
Philosophers. This brings me to the last, and seem-
ir?irly the strongest Objection, viz. that the Hyperbo-
rean Hand of Diodorus, or rather of Hecateus and o-
thers long before him, was so plentiful as to have
(305) two crops a year. Yet this expression, upon a
feir construction, will be so far from embarassing, that
it will highly illustrate my explication. It oneiy sig-
nifies great plenty and abundance, which I could in-
stance by many passages of the antients ; but shall
chuse the nearest home I can, and that is what (106)
Virgil says of Italy :

Perpetual spring our happy Climate sees,

Twice -breed the cattle, and twice bear the trees ;

And summer *>uns recede by slow degrees.

DRY DEN'S Translation.

But who is ignorant, that this is not literally true ?
and as to the plenty meant by it in general, it is cer-

(105) Read the Note immediately preceeding, bateing
. one.

(106) Hie ver assiduum, atque alienis mensibus aestas;
Bis gravidae pecudcs> bij pomis ittilis arbos.

Georgic. lib. 2.

OF THE DRUIDS. 20.3

tain that no country abounds more with the neces-
saries of life, and at less labor or charge, ^than the
Hebrides. I shall dwell so much the longer on this
head, as my History may possibly reach further than
the Celtic Nations. Wherefore, in the first place,
there is known to be in those Hands a prodigious
plenty of Flesh and Fish. Their cattle of all sorts,
as Cows, Sheep, Goats, and Hogs, are exceeding nu-
merous and prolific : small indeed of size, as are like-
wise their Horses, but of a sweet and delicious taste.
So are their Deer, which freely range in herds on the
mountains. No place can compare with this for tame
and wild fowl, there being of the latter no where in
the world a greater diversity, many sorts of them ex-
tremely beautiful or rare, and utterly unknown else-
where. The like may be said of their various amphi-
bious animals. Numberless are their fountains and
springs, rivulets, rivers, and lakes, very wholcsom hi
their waters, and every where super-abounding with
fish, especially the most delicate, as Trout and Sal-
mon : nor is it by Herrings alone that aU Europe
knows no Seas to be better stored, nor with more
kinds, from the shrimp to the whale ; as no harbors
or bays are superior, whether regard be had to number
or coramodiousness. Add to this their variety of ex-
cellent roots and plants, particularly those of marine
growth, every one of them serving for food or physic.
Their pastures are so kindly, that they might live on
milk alone, with that inconceivable quantity of Eggs
they yearly gather of the desart rocks and Ilets. But

204 THE HISTORY

flesh and fish, milk-meats, eggs, and sallads in the
greatest abundance, some will be apt to say, are slen-
der and comfortless food without the staff of bread.
On this assertion, tho' I might fairly dispute it from
the practice of whole nations, and the experience of
particular persons no strangers to me, I will not how-
ever insist ; bread, among their other productions, be-
ing plentiful enough in the Hebrides, which some-
times cannot be said of the neighboring Hands. The
ground is generally allowed to be much richer than
on the Scottish continent, some parts whereof are not
seldom supplyed (107) hence with corn: and I have
also such proofs of it from Dr. MARTIN, who, when
he wrote his Description of those Hands, was far from
dreaming of the Hyperboreans, as will sufficiently
justify the expression of Diodorus about their crops or
harvests. Lewis is very fruitful : and tho' Barley,
Oats, and Rye, be the onely grain sown there at pre-
sent ; yet the ground both in that, and in most of the
other (108) Hands is fit to bear wheat, and conse-
quently Legumes of all sorts. It is truely amazing
they have any crop at all, considering how unskilful
they are in Agriculture, how destitute of the properest
instruments to till the ground, and that they scarce
use any other manure but sea-wrack or tangles.
From the ignorance of the inhabitants in these
respects, as also in planting, inclosing, and drain-

(107) See Dr. MARTIN'S Description, page 140,

(.108) fcage 53, 337, &c.

OF THE DRUIDS. 205

ing, many fruitful spots ly uncultivated : but the
abundance of choice Eatables, and namely the most
nourishing shell-fish of various kinds, with which
they are richly supplyed by bountiful nature, con-
tributes more than any thing to that Indolence,
which the antient Greecs esteemed their Happi-
ness. The goodness of the soil appears by no-
thing more evidently, than by the want of cul-
tivation, whereof I have been just complaining. Dr.
MARTIN, who was an Ey- witness, and strictly ex-
amined the fact, affirms (109) that in Bernera,
near Harris, the produce of Barley is many times
from twenty to thirty-fold ; that in Harries and
South-Uist (HO) one barley-grain sometimes pro-
duces from seven to fourteen ears, as in North-
Uist from ten to thirty-fold (111) in a plentiful
year; that at Corchattan, in Skie, the increase
(112) amounted once to thirty-five; that if the
ground be laid down for some time, it gives a
good (113) crop without dunging, some fields not
having been dunged in forty years; and that he
was informed a small tract of ground, at Skerry-

(109) Page 42.

(110) Ibid.

(111) Page 53.

(112) Page 132.

(113) Page 13$,

203 THE HISTORY

breck (H4) in the said He of Skie, had yielded
a hundred-fold. Nay, I have been told my self
by a native of that He, that the people there
believe they might have two crops a year, if they
took due pains. For this I beged their pardon, but
allowed what was tantamount, since the words of
Diodorus may no less justly be rendered a double
crop, than two (ll'5) crops, which last however
is in some respec.ts literally true. For with re-
gard to their pastures, of which somewhat before,
nothing is more common than for a sheep to
have two (HQ) lambs at a time. This not onely
confirms my construction, and puts me in mind
of that verse in (HI) Virgil^

She suckles twins, and twice a day is milled:

but also of what the so often mentioned Dr. MARTIN
relates on this (H8) occasion; which is, that be-
sides the ordinary rent a tenant paid, it was a
custom in the Hands, if any of his cows or sheep
brought two young ones at a time, one of them
was to go to the Landlord : who, on his part,

(114) Ibid.

(115 Dittous karpoas.

(116) Page 108.

(117) Bis venit ad muktram, linos alit ubere foetus.

Eclog. 3, ver. 30.

(118) Page 109.

OF THE DRUIDS. 207

was "Obliged, if any of his tenant's wives bore
twins, to take one of them into his own fami-
ly ; and that he himself knew a Gentleman, who
had sixteen of these twins in his house at a
time. It is no wonder they are populous. Even
the wild Goats on the Mountains, for such there
are in Harries, are observed to bring (119} forth
their young twice a year : all which put toge-
ther, makes' the last objection against me to be
none, and therefore finally justifies my explica-
tion of the passage in DIODORUS. From hence 'tis
evident, MY LORD, that those Hands1 are ca-
pable of great improvement, as they abound like-
wise in many curiosities, especially in Subjects of
Philosophical observation. Nor is it less plain by
the many antient Monuments remaining among
them, and the marks of the plow reaching to
the very tops of the mountains, which the ait-
less inhabitants think incapable of culture, that in
remote ages they were in a far more flourishing
condition than at present. The ruins of spacious
houses, and the numerous Obelises, old Forls,
Temples, Altars, with the like, which I have de-
scribed (120} before, undeniably prove this : be-
sides that the country was formerly full of woods,
as appears by the great Oaks and Firr-trees daily
dug out of the ground, and by many other to-
kens ; there being several small woods and cop-

(119) Page 35.

(120) Letter II. Sections VIII, IX, X, &c.

203

THE HISTORY

pices still remaining in Skie, Mull, and other
places. Tho' I don't pretend, no more than Dio-
DORUS, that these were the fortunate, Hands of
the Poets, or fche Elyzian-fields of the dead, by
some plac'd in tbose [121] seas, as by others else-
where ; yet the following lines of [122] of HO-
RACE agree to no spot better, than the Hands
we have been just describing.

« — tfrom lofty hills

" With murmuring pace the fountain trills.
" There Goats uncall'd return from fruitful vales,

" And bring stretch'd dugs to fill the pails.
ts No bear grins round the fold, wo lambs he shakes ;

" No field swells there with poys'nous snakes.
" More we shall wonder on the happy plain :

" The watery East descends in rain*
46 Yet so as to refresh, not drown the fields ;
" The temperate glebe full harvest yields.
" No heat annoys : the ruler of the Gods
*' From plagues secures these blest abodes."

CREECH'S Translation.

The Inhabitants, that I may make a complete
commentary on the passage of Diodorus, are not
to be mended in the proportion of their persons :
no preposterous bandages distorting them in the
cradle, nor hindring nature from duely forming
their limbs ; which is the reason, that bodily im-
perfections of any sort are very rare among them.

•

(121) V ideas Annotationem 63 & 64.

(122) — -- Montibus altis

OF THE DRUIDS. 209

Neither does any over-officiously preventive Physic
in their infancy, spoil their original constitution ;
whence they have so strong a habit of 4 body,
that one of them requires treble the dose, as
will purge any man in the south of Scotland,
But what contributes above all things to their
health and longevity, is constant Temperance and
Exercise. As they prefer conveniency to orna-
ment both in their houses and their apparel,
which last I think not disagreeable, so, in their
way of eating and drinking, they rather satisfy
than oppress nature. Their food is commonly fresh,
and their meals two a day, water being the or-
dinary drink of the vulgar. They are strangers
to many of the Distempers, as they are to most
of the Vices of other nations, for some of which
they have not so much "as a name : and it may
no less truely be observed of these than of the
ancient Scythians, that (123) the ignorance of

% Levis crepatite lympha desilit pede.
Illic injussae veniunt ad mulctra capellae^

Refertque tenta grex amicus ubera.
Nee vespertinus circumgtmit ursus ovile,

Nee intumescit alia viperis humus.
Pluraque f slices mirabimur : ut neque l&rgis

Aquosus Eurus <irva radat imbribus9
Pinguia nee siccis urantur scmina glebis ;

Utrwnque Rege temperante Coelitum.

Epod. 16. ver. 47.

(123) Tanto plus in illis prodcit vitiorlim ignoratio,
quam in his (Graccis mmirurrij cognitiavirtutis. JUSTIN.
Hist. lib.

210 THE HISTORY

vices has had a better effect upon them, than
the knowledge of Philosophy upon politer nations.
They owe every thing to nature. They cure all
disorders of the body by simples of their own
growth, and by_ proper diet or labor. Hence they
are stout and active, dextrous in all their exer-
cises ; as they are withall remarkably sagacious,
choleric but easily appeazed, sociable, good natur-
ed, ever cheerful, and having a strong inclination
to Music : all which particulars, with the other
parts of their past and present character, I have
not onely learnt from the concurrent testimonies
of several judicious authors ; but also from the
intimate knowledge I have had my self of many
scores of the natives as well in Scotland as else-
where. They are hospitable beyond expression,
intertaining all strangers of what condition soever
gratis; the use of mony being still in some o£
those Hands unknown, and till a few ages past
in all of them. They have no Lawyers or At-
torneys : which, no more than several other par-
ticulars here specifyed, I do not understand of
the Highlanders on the continent; tho' speaking
the same language, and wearing the same dress
with them. . The men and women plead their
own causes ; and a very speedy decision is made
by the Proprietor, who's Perpetual president in
their courts, or by his Bailiff as his substitute.
In a word, they are equally • void of the two
chief plagues of Mankind, Luxury and Aftibition;

OF THE DRUIDS.

which consequently frees them from all those rest-
less pursuits, consuming toils, and never-fail ing-
vexations, that men suffer elsewhere for those airy,
trifling, shortlived vanities. Their contempt of
superfluities is falsly reckoned Poverty, since their
felicity consists not in having much, but in co-
veting little; and that he's supremely rich, who
wants no more than he has : for as they, who
live according to nature, will never be poor ; so
they, who live according to opinion, will never
be rich. It is certain that no body wants, what
he does not desire : and how much easier is it
not to desire certain things, than otherwise ? as
it is far more healthy and happy to want, than
to injoy them. Neither is their ignorance of vices
in these Hands any diminution to their virtue,
since, not being . by their situation concerned in
any of the disputes about dominion or commerce,
that distract the world, they are not oaely rigid
observers of Justice, but show less propensity than
any People to tumults; except what they may
be unwarily led into by the extraordinary defe-
rence they pay to the opinion of their Chiefs
and Leaders, who are accountable for the mis-
chiefs they sometimes bring, as at this very (124)
time, on these well-meaning Hyperboreans. For
Hyperboreans I wilT now presume to call them,
and withaU to claim Abarif as a Philosopher of

(124) 1719.

THE HISTORY

the Brittish world, which has principally occasion-
ed this Digression ; on that account not improper,
nor, I hope, altogether useless in other respects.
Be this as your Lordship shall think fit to judge,
I will not finish it before I have acquainted you
with an odd custom or two, that have from
time immemorial obtained in Barra and the lesser
circumjacent Hands, which are the property of
MAC-NEIL. The present is the thirty fifth Lord
of Barra by uninterrupted lineal descent, a thing
whereof no Prince in the world -can boast: and
he is regarded, vyou may imagine, as no mean
potentate by Ms subjects, who know none great-
er than he. (125) When the wife of any of 'em
dies, he has immediate recourse to his Lord, re-
presenting first his own loss in the want of a
meet help; and next that of MAC-NEIL himself
if i he should not go en to beget followers for
him. Hereupon MAC-NEIL finds out a suteable
match, neither side ever disliking his choice, but
accepting it as the highest favor, and the mar-
riage is celebrated without any courtship, portion
or dowry. But they never fail to make merry
on such occasions with a bottle or more ^of Us-
quebah. On the other hand, (126) when any wo-
man becomes a widdow, she is upon the like ap-
plication soon provided with* a husband, and with

(125) MARTIN, page 97.

(126) Ibid.

OF THE DRUIDS.

as little ceremony. Whoever may dislike this Hy-
perborean manner of preventing delay, disdain, or
disappointment, yet he cannot but approve MAC-
NEIL'S conduct, in supplying (127) any of his
tenants with as many Milch-cows, as he may
chance to lose by the seventy of the weather,
or by other misfortunes ; which is not the less
true charity, for being good policy. Most worthy
likewise of imitation is his taking into his own
family, building a house hard by on purpose for
them, and maintaining to the day of their death,
as many old men, a?, thro' age or infirmity, (128)
become unfit for labor. But I should never have
.done, if I preceded with the particular usages of
the North and West Ilanders. Several of them,
retained from the remotest times of the Druids,
are explained in this and the preceding Letters.
Yet one custom, very singular, I cannot help re-
lating here, tlio' long since grown obsolete ; or
rather that it has been in disuse, ever since their
conversion to Christianity. When a man had a
mind to have a wife, (129) as soon as he gain'd
the consent of the maid he lik'd, he took her to
In's bed and board for a whole year; and if, -up-
on thus coming thoroughly acquainted with, the

(127) Ibid.

(128) Page 9&

(129) Page 114.

214. THE HISTORY

conditions both of her mind and body, he kept
her any longer, she then became his wife all her
days ; but if he dislik'd her to such a* degree on
any account, as to be persuaded she shou'd not
make him easy during life, he returned her (with
her portion, if she had any) at the twelve months
end to her parents or guardians ; legitimating the
children, and maintaining them at his own charge
in case there wrere such. Nor was this repudia-
tion any dishonor or disadvantage to the young
woman in the eyes of another man, who thought
she would make him a better wife,s or that he
might to Jier be a better busband It was a
custom, I must own, like to prevent a world of
unhappy matches : but, according to our modern
ideas, it is not onely unlawful, but also barbar-
ous.

IX. To return whence I digressed, having thus
happily discovered and asserted the country of
Abaris, and also his profession of a Druid \ I shall
give here some account of his person, referring
to another place the History of his adventures.
The Orator Himerius, tho' one of those, who,
from the equivocal sense of the word Hyperbo-
rean, seems to have mistaken him for a Scythian ;
yet accurately describes his person, and gives him
a very noble character. That he spoke Greek
with so much facility and elegance, will be no
matter of wonder to such as consider the antient
intercourse, which we have already prov'd between

OF THE DRUIDS. ol5

the Greecs and the Hyperboreans : nor would the
latter, to be sure, send any ambassador, as well see
presently they did Abaris, to the former, unless, a-
mong the other requisite qualifications, he perfectly un-
derstood their language. But let's harken a while to
Himerius. " They relate, (says he,) that Abaris the
" Sage was by nation a Hyperborean, become a Gre-
" cian in speech, and resembling a Scythian in his habit
*c and appearance. Whenever he moved his ton-
" gue, you would imagine him to be some one
" out of the midst of the Academy or very Ly-
" ceum" (130). Now that his habit was not that
of a Scythian ever covered with skins, but what
has been in all ages, as generally at this pre-
sent, worn in the Hebrides and the neighboring
Highlands, it needs onely to be described for re-
moving all doubt^ and scruples. " Abaris came
46 to Athens, continues (131) Himerius, holding
** a bow, having a quiver hanging from his
" shoulders, his body wrapt up in a plad, girt
" about his loins with a gilded belt, and wear-
*• ing trowzers reaching from the soles of his
*•' feet to his waste." A gun and pistol, being
of modern date, could make no part of his equi-

(130) Abarin men sophon geaos men Huperboreion legousin, Hullena de
phonen gegenGsthai, kai Skuthen men achri stoles de kai schematos. Ei de
pou glottan kineseie, touto ekeinon ek raeses Akademias kai autou Lukeion no-
mizesthai. Ex Qratione ad Ursicium apud Photium in Biblioth. cod 243. edit.
Rotkomag. pag. 1135.

(131) Heken Abaris Athenaze ioxa echon, pharetran hemmenos eis omon,
cWamudi sphingomenos : Z5ne en kat' iksu5n chruse, anaxurides ek tarsoa

achii kai gloutou anatcinousai. Id. ibid.

THE HISTORY

page : and you see he did not make his entry in-
to Athens ridding on a broom-stick, as faboulous-
ly reported, but in the native garb of an abo-
riginal Scot. As for what regards his abilities,
it was impossible for his principals to have made
a better choice ; since we are informed by the
same (132) Himerius, that " he , was affable and
" pleasant in conversation, in dispatching great
" affairs secret and industrious, quicksighted in
" present exigences, in preventing future dangers
" circumspect, a searcher after wisdom, desirous
" of friendship, trusting indeed little to fortune,
« and having every thing trusted to him for his
"' prudence." Neither the Academy nor the Ly-
ceum could furnish out a man with fitter quali-
ties, to go so farr abroad and to such wise na-
tions, about affairs no less arduous than impor-
tant. But if we attentively consider his modera-
tion in eating, drinking, and the use of all those
things, which our natural appetites incessantly
crave; adding the candor and simplicity of his
manners, with the solidity and wisdom of his an-
swers, all which we'll find sufficiently attested, it
inust be owned, that the world at that time had
few to compare with ABARIS.

Thus I have laid before your Lordship a Spe-
cimen of my History of the Druids. Give me

(132) En hedus entuchein, deinos hesuche rae^alen praxin ergasasthai, ox-
us to pajon idein, promethes to raellon phulattesthai, Sophias hctton, erastes
pbilias, oliga men tuche pisteuon, gnome de ta panta pistoumenos. Id, ibid.

OF THE DRUIDS. 217

leave to send you with this Letter t\Vo small
Pieces which I don't doubt will be agreeable to
you* One is Mr. JONJES'S Answer to Mr. TATA'S
Questions about the Druids > and the other British
Antiquities > which I transcribed from a Manuscript
in the Cotton Library (133) ; and the other> some
Collections mentioned in one of my Letters (134),
shewing the Affinity between the Armoric and
Irish Language, &c.

I am,

MY Loan,

YOUR LORDSHIP'S
MOST OBLIG'D,

AND

•

VERY HUMBLE SERVANT,

•l7 18, )
719. )

Apt
1719

(133) Vitet. & t>. 6*

(134) Letter tL Sect. 18. pag. 119,

E 2

Mr. TATE's.

QUESTIONS,,

ABOUT THE

DRUIDS,

AND OTHER

BRITTISH ANTIQUITIES'?

WITH

Mr. JOKES's

ANSWER TO THEM.

«««»»>»*

Mr. TATE's QUESTIONS' .

what naines were they call'd.by the Brittont:
which the Latins call Dt:uidea or Druides ?

II. Whether the Druids and Flamens were all 6ner
and the difference between them ? how the Flamens
were called in Brittish, and their antiquity and haoits ?

III. What degrees were given to the Professors of
Learning ? when, where, and by whom, and their ha-
bits or apparel ?

IV. Whether the Earth had any office in war ans-
wering our Heralds ? their garments and enseigns ?

OF THE DRUIDS.

jind whether they used the Caduceus ? many fetching
the original thereof from the Britton's charming of ser-
pents.

V. What Judges and Lawyers had the Brittons
that follow'd the Ring ? and what are Tri anhepcor
Brcnhin, and their use ?

VI. What Judges and Lawyers were their resident
in the country ? their number ? what Judges were
there per dignitatem Terrae ? and what their duty ?
and how were they assembl'd to do the same ?

VII. It appeareth 'there were always many Kings
<md Princes in this Realm before the coming in of the
Saxons : were their countries divided into Talaiths,
.as all between Severn and the Sea was after their
coming ?

VIII. Was there any division into Shires before the
Saxon's coining, and what difference betwixt a Shire
and a Swydh ? There were anciently with you
.Maenors, Commods, Oantreths, answerable whereunto
are our Manors, Tythings, Hundreds. And that mak-
etla me to .encline .that Swydh shou'd be like our Shire,
as Swyd caer Bhyrdin, Swyd Amwythig^ Swyd caer
Wrangon ; and the General Officers of them were call-
ed Swydogion, under whom were Macr, Gnghcllaivr,
•Jlh'ingMH, Ophiriat, and Brawdvr trwyr Swyd, except
all bear the name of Swydogion. I find in ancient
Book of Landaff Gluiguis or "Gllvisus King of Deme-
tia (which of this King is call'd Glenguissig) of whom

221 THE HISTORY

it is said septem pages rexit, whereof Glamorgan* now
a Shire, was one ; and pagus is us'd for a Shire,

IX. Whether ihe Britons had Noblemen bearing
the name ofDuccs, Comites, Bar ones ? and what they
were called in Brittish ?— In the Book of Landaff I
find it thus written, " Gandeleius Rex totam regioneia
" suam Cadoco filio suo commendavit, privilegiumque
" eoncessit, quatenus a fonte Faennun haen donee ad
" ingressum fluminis Nadavan perapiitur, omnes Re-
" ges et Comites, Optimates, Tribuni, atque domesti-
" ci in Coenobij sui coemeterto de Lancarvan sepeli-
" antur." And K, E, I. enquiring of the Laws of the
Britons, demandeth how the Welsh Barons did adminis-
ter justice, and so distinguisht them from Lords Mar-
chers,

X. What is the signification of the word Assach f
A statute of King Henry VI. saith, some oifer'd to ex-
cuse themselves by an Assach after the custom of
Wales : that is to say, by an oath of thirty men,

XI. What officer is he that in the Laws of Howcl
Da is called Distein, and the signification of the word ?

XII. What do you think of this place of Petrus
Ramus in his Book de moribits vetsrum Gallonim :
Hae civitatcs £$rutos mos habebant Sic a Caesare no-
minantur Senates Eburonicum, Lcxoblorum^ Venetorum*
Was there any Counsil or Senate^ in the Brittish Go-
gernment, and by what name were they call'd ?

Mr. Joneses Answers to Mr. Tales
Questions.

JL O to the first I say, that Druides or Druidae is a
word that is derived from the Brittish word Drudion ;
being the name of certain wise, discreet, learned,
and religious Persons among the Brittons. Druidon
is the plural number of this primitive word Drud. By
adding ion to the singular number, you make the
plural of it secundum formam Eritannorum ; sic Drud,
Drudion. This primitive word Drud has many signi-
fications. One signification is Dialwr, that is a reven-
ger, or one that redresseth wrong : for so the Justicers
call'd Drudion did supply the place of Magistrates.
Another signification Krevlon, and that signifies cruel
and merciless ; for they did execute justice most righte-
ously, and punisht offenders most severely. DRUD sig-
nifies also glew and prid, that is, valiant or hardy.
Drud is also dear or precious, unde venit Drudanieth,
which is Dearth. These Drudion among the Brittons
by their office did determine all kind of matters as well
private as publick, and were Justicers as well in religi-
ous matters and controversies, as in Law matters and
controversies, for offences of death and title of Laws.
These did the sacrifices to the Heathen Gods, and the
sacrifices cou'd not be made without them, and they
did forbid sacrifices to be done by any man that did
Siot obey their decree and sentence. All the Arts,

222 THE HISTORY

Sciences, Learning, Philosophy, and Divinity that was
taught in the land,, was taught by them ; and they
taught by memory, and never \you'd that their know-
ledge and learning shou'd be put in writing : whereby
when they were supprest by the Emperor of Rome in
the beginning of Christianity, their Learning, Arts,
Laws, Sacrifices, and Governments were lost and ex-
tinguisht here in this land ; so that I can find no more
mention of any .of their deeds in our tongue than I
have set down, but that they dwelled in rocks, nnd
woods, and dark places, and some places in our land,
had their names from them, and are called after their
names to this day. And the Hand of Mone or Angle-
sea is taken to be one of their chiefest seats in Britain,
because it was a solitary Hand full of wood, and not
inhabited of any but themselves ; and then the lie of
Mone, which is called Anglesea, was called yr Inys
Dowyll, that is, the Dark Hand. - And after that the
Drudion were supprest, the huge groves which they
favor'd and kept a-foot, were rooted up, and that ground
tilFd. Then that Hand did yield such abundance and
plenty of corn, that it might sustain and keep all
Wales with bread ; and therefore there arose then a
Proverb, and yet is to this day, viz. Mvn mam Gymbry,
that is, Mon the mother of Wales. Some do term the
proverb thus., Mon mam Gynedd, that is, Mon the
mother of North-wales, that is, that Mon was able to
nourish and foster upon bread all Wales or North-
Wales. And after that this Dark Hand had cast out
for many years such abundance ofVorn where the dis-

OF THE DRUIDS. 223

closed woods and groves were, it surceased to yield
corn, and yielded such plenty of grass for cattle, that
the Countrymen left off their great tilling-, and turned it
to grazing andbreeding of cattle, and that did continue
among them wonderful plentiful, so that it was aa
admirable thing to be heard, how so little a plat of
ground shou'd breed such great number of cattle ; and
now the inhabitants do till a great part of it, and
breed a great number of cattle on t'other part.

II. As for the second Question, I do refer the ex-
position of it to those that have written of the Flamens
in Latine. The Drudion in Britain, according to their
manner and custom, did execute the office and function
of the Flamens beyond the sea : and as for their ha-
bits, I cannot well tell you how, nor what manner
they were of.

III. To the third Question : there were four sever-
al kinds of Degrees, that were given to the Professors
of Learning. The first was, DisgibUi/sbas, and that
was given a man after three years studying in the ait
of Poetry and Musick, if he by his capacity did deserve
it. The second degree was DISGIBLDISGYBLIAIDD, and
that was given to the Profef!bro£ Learning after six
3rears studying, if he diddeserver!.Trhe third degree was
DiSGiBLPENKERftDiMDD ; and that was given to the
Prosessor of Learning after nine years studying, if lie
deserve it. ^4nd the fourth degree was Penkerdd or
Athro, and AUiro is the highest degree of Learning a-
mong us, and in Latine is called Doctor, All the?c

2-2* THE HISTORY

degrees were given to men of Learning as well Poets
us Musicians. All these foresaid degrees of Learning
were given by the King, or in his presence in his Pa-
lace, at every three years end, or by his License from
him in some fit place thereunto (appointed) upon an
open disputation had before the King or his Deputy in
that behalf, and then they were to have their reward
according to their degrees. Also there were three kinds
of Poets. The one was Prududd : the other was
Tevluwr : the third was Klerwr. These three kinds
had three several matters to treat of. The Prududd
was to treat of Lands, and the praise of Princes, No-
bles, and Gentlemen, and had his circuit among them.
The Tevluwr did treat of merry jests, and domestical
pastimes and affairs, having his circuit among the
Countrymen, and his reward according to his calling.
The Clerwr did treat of invective and rustical Poetry,
differing from the Prududd and Tevluwr ; and his cir-
cuit was among the Yeomen of the Country. As for
their habits, they were certain long apparel down to
the calf of their leggs or somewhat lower, and were of
diverse colours.

IV. To the fourth Question, I say, the Bard was a
Herald to record all the acts of the Princes and Nobles,
and to give arms according to deserts. They were al-
so Poets, and cou'd prognosticate certain things, and
gave them out in metre. And further, there were three
kinds of Beirdd (the plural of Ijardd), viz. Privardct,
Poswardd, Arwyddvardd. The Priveirdd (plurally,)

OF THE DRUIDS. 225

were Merlin Silvester, Merlin Ambrosius, and Talies-
sin ; and the reason they were call'd Priveirdd was,
because they invented and taught such Philosophy and
other Learning as were never read or heard of by any
man before. The interpretation of this word Pri-
vardd is Prince, or first learner, or learned man : for
Bardd was an appelation of all learned men, and pro-
fessors of Learning, and Prophets, as also were attri-
buted to them the titles of Privardd, Posvardd, and
Arwyddvard. Bardd Telyn. And they call Merlin
Ambrosius by the name of Bardd Gortheyrn, that is,
Vortiger's Philosopher, or Learned man, or Prophesyer.
Bardd Telyn is he that is Doctor of the Musicians of
the Harp, and is the chief harp in the Land, having his
abode in the King's palace : and note no man may be
called Privardd, but he that inventetli such Learning,
and Arts, or Science, as were never taught before.
The second kind of Bardd is Posvardd, and those
Posveirdd were afterwards Prydiddion : for they did
imitate and teach what the Priveirdd had set forth,
and must take their author from one of them ; for
they themselves are no Authors, but registers and pro-
pagators of the Learning invented by the others. The
third kind is Arwyddvard, that is by interpretation an
Ensign-bard, and indeed is a Herald at Arms ; and
his duty was to declare the Genealogy and to blazon
the Arms of Nobles and Princes, and to keep the re-
cord of them, and to alter their Arms according to their
dignity or deserts. These were with the kings and
Princes in all battles and actions. As for their Gar-

F 2

S26 THE HISTORY

ments, I think they were long-, such as the Prydiddion
had ; for they challenge the name of Beirdd ut supra,
Whereas some writers, and for the most part all fore^
ners that mention the Beirdd, do write that Bard has
his name given him from one Bdrdus, who was the
first inventor of Barddonieth, and some say he was
the fourth King of Brittain ; ,. I say it is a most false, •..
erroneous, and "fabulous surmise of forea writers^ for
there never was any of that name either a king or
a King's son of Brittain. But there was a great Scho-
lar and Inventor both of Poetical verses and musical
Lessons that was some time King of Brittain. His
name was Elegy wry d op: Geisyllt, and he was the fif-
ty-sixth supreme king of Great Brittain, and dy'd in
the 206 7th year after the deluge, of whom it is writ-
ten that he was the famousest Musican 'that ever lived :
in Britain. No writer can show that BARD had his
name from Bardus, it being a primitive Brittish wo; d •
that has the foresayd significations. And BarddoTiletk
(which is the art, function, and profession of the
Bardd) is also used for Prophesy and 'the interpreta-
tion thereof, and also for all kinds of Learning a—
mong us that the Bdrdd were authors of.

V. As for the fifth Question, the King had .always
a chief Judge resident in his Court, ready to decide
all controversies that then happen'cl, and he was call-*
ed Egnat Llys. He had some privilege given him by"
the King's houshold officers, and therefore he was
to determine their causes gratis. As for the iri anheb-

OF THE DRUIDS. 227

•Jcor bre7iin,l think it superfluous to treat of them here,
•seeing you have this matter in my Book of Laws
more perfect than I can remember it at this time.
Look in the Table among the triocdd kiifraith, and
those are set down in two or .three several places of
the Book. And if you cannot find it .there, see in the
office of Egnat Llys., or Pen.'tevlu, or yffeiricLid Itys,
and you'll be sure -to .find it in some of those places. I
do not find it in my Book of Laws, that there were
any officers for the Law that did dwell in the King's
.Palace, but onely his Egnat Ltys, that was of any
rnarne, or bore any great office : for he was one of the
:tri anhelkor brcnin*

VI. As for the sixth Question, I say that there
-were resident in the Country but EGNAT COMOT, that
i can understand- But when an Assembly met to-
gether for the title .of Lands, then the King in his
own Person came- upon the Land ; and if he could not
come, he appointed some Deputy for him. There
came with the King his chief Judge, and called unto
liim his EGNAT KOMOT, or County-Judge, together
•with some of his Council .that dwelt in the Kornot,
where the Lands lay that were in the controversy, and
^the Free-holders also of the same Place, and there
came a Priest or Prelate, two Counsellors, and two
Ilhingill or Serjeants, and two Champions, one for the
Plaintiff and another for the Defendant ; and when
&ll these were assembled together, the King or his

peputy viev/ed the Land, and when they had viev/ed

228 THE HISTORY

it, they caused a round Mount to be cast up, and up-
on the same was the Judgment- Soat placed, having his
back toward the Sun or the Weather. Some of these
Mounts were made square and some round, and both
round and square bore the name of Gorseddevy dadle,
that is, the Mount of Pleading. Some also have the
name of him that was chief Judge or Deputy to the
King in that judicial Seat ; and it was not lawful to
make an assembly nowhere for title of Lands, but up-
on the Lands that were in controversy. These Gor-
sedde are in our Country, and many other places to
be seen to this day ; and will be ever, if they be not
taken down by men's hands. They had two sorts of
Witnesses, the one was Gwybyddijeid, and the other
Amhiniogev . The Gtoybyddfyeid were such men as
were born in the KOMOT, where the Lands that were
in controversy lay, and of their own perfect knowledge
did know that it was the Defendant's right. And
Amhiniogev were such men as had their Lands mear-
ing on the Lands that were in controversy, and hem-
med upon that Land. And the Oath of one of those
Amhiniogev, otherwise called Keidweid, was better
than the Oath of twain that were but Gwybyddyeid.
Look in the Table of my Book of Laws for the de-
finition of KEIDWEID, AMHINIOGEV, and GWYBYDDYEID,
and how the king did try his Causes ; and that will
manifest it more at large. The Mayer and the
Kangellawr had no authority amongst the Brittons far
any lands but the king's lands ; and they were to set
it and let it, and to have their circuit amongst the

OF THE DRUIDS.

kind's tenants ; and they did decide all Controversies
that happened amongst them. Vide in the Table of
my Book of Laws for the Definition of Mayer and
Kandlawr.

VII. To the seventh Question, I say that there?
were in this land about a hundred superial Kings, that
governed this land successively : that wore of the
Brittish blood : yet notwithstanding there were un-
der them divers other Princes that had the name of
kings, and did serve, obey, and belong- to the superial
king-, as the king of Alban or Prydyn or Scotland, the
king of ITymbery.or Wales, the king of GWNEYDD, or
Venedotia, Yet notwithstanding the same law and
government was used in every Prince or king's domi-
nion, as was in the superial king's proper dominion ;
unless it were that some Custom or Privilege did be-
long to some place of the kingdom more than to an-
other : and every inferior king was to execute the
Law upon all transgressors that offended in their do-
minion.

In the time of Kassihelanus there arose some con-
troversy between the superial king Kaswallawne and
Ararwy king of London, one of his inferior kings, a-
bout a murther committed. The case is thus. The
superial King keeping his Court within the dominion
of one of the inferior Kings, a controversy -falling be-
tween twain within the Court, and there and then one
was slain, the Question is, Whether the murtherer
ought to be tried by the officers and privilege of the

230 THE HISTORY

superior Ring, or of the inferior King. I think that
the murtherer ought to be tried by the Law and Cus-
tom of the inferior king's Court, because it is more
seemly that the superior king's Court, which did in*,
dure in that Country but a week or twain, or such like
time, should lose his privilege there for 'that time, than
the inferior king's Court should lose it for ever. Vide
in libro meo de kgibits. It may seem to those that
have judgement in histories, that this was the very
cause that Arlarwy would not have his kinsman tried
by the Judges and Laws or privilege of Kaswallawne,
whose Court did remain in the dominion, of Ararwy
but a little while, but would have the felon tried by
his Judges and his Court There is no mention made
of Talaith any where amongst the Brittons before the
destruction of Brittain, but that there were in Brittain
but one superial Crown and three Talaith or Coronets
or Prince's Crowns- one for the Alban, another for
Wales, and the third for Kerniw or Kornwale. There
were divers others called kings which never wore any
Crown or Coronet, as the kings of Dyved in South
Wales, the king of Kredigion, and such, and yet were
called kings, and their Countries were divided as you
shall see in the next Question,

VIII. To the eighth Question, I say, that accord-
ing to the primitive Law of this Land, that Dyfnwal
Moel Mvd made, for before the Laws of Dijfnwal
Moel Mvd the Trojan laws and customs were used in
ibis Land, and we cannot tell what division of Lands

OF THE DRUIDS. . 251

they had, nor what officers but the Druidion, he divid-
ed all this Land according to this manner, thus : Tri-
hud y gronin licudd^ or thrice the length of one Barley
Corn maketh a Modvedd or inch, three Modvedd or
Inches maketli a Palf or a Palm of the hand, three
Palf or Palm maketh a Troedvcdd or foot, three- feete
or Troedvedd maketh a Rant or Pace or a stride, three
Kara or strides to the Naid or leape, three Naid or
leape to the Grwmg, that is, the breadth of a Butt of
Land or Tir -r and mil of those Tir maketh Miltir,
that is, a thousand Trr or mile. And that was his
measure for length which hath been used from that
time to this day ; and yet, and for superficial measur-
ing fie made three hud gronm haidd? or Barley Corn
length, to the Modvedd, or Inch, three Modvedd or
Inch to the Palf or hand breadth, three Palf to the
Troedvedd or foot, four Troedv-edd or foot to the Ver*
iav or the short yoke/ eight Trtodvedd or foot to the
Neidiav, and twelve Troedvcdd or foot in the Gessti^
liav and sixteen Troedvedd in the Hiriav. And a
Pole or Rod so long, that is sixteen foot long, is the
breadth of an Acre of Land, and thirty Poles or Rods
that length, is the length of an ErW or Acre by the
Law, and four Erw or Acre maketh a Tt/ddyn or
Messuage, and four of that Tyddyn or Messuage
maketh a RHANDIR, and four of those RHANDIREDI>
maketh a GAFEL or Tenement or Houlty and four GA-
ITSL maketh a TREF or Township, and four TaEFor
Townships maketh a MAENOL or MAENOR, and
twelve JMaenol or Maenor and dwy dref or two Town-

THE HISTORY

ships maketh a Kwmwd or Gornot, and two Kwmwd
or Gomot maketh a Kantref or Cantred, that is a
hundred Towns or Townships, And by this reckon-
ing- every TYDDYN containeth four Euw, every Ilhan-
dir containeth sixteen Erw, and eveiy Gafel contain-
eth sixty-four Erw. Every Town or Township
con tail! eth two hundred fifty-six Erw or Acres,
these Erws being fertile arable land, and neither
meadow nor pasture nor woods. For there was no-
thing- measured but fertil arable ground, and all o-
thers- were termed wastes. Every Maenol containeth
four of th?ese Townships, and every KWMWD contain-
eth fifty of these Townships, and every CANTRED a
hundred of these Townships, whereof it hath its name.
And all the Countries and Lords dominions were di-
vided by CANTREDS or CANTRE, and to every of these
CANTREDS, GOMOTS, MAENORS, TOWNS, GAFELS were
given some proper names. And GWLAD or Country
was the dominion of one Lord or Prince, whether the
GWLAD were one CANTRED or two> or three or four, or
more. So that when I say he is gone from GWLAD to
GWLAD, that is, from Countrey to Countrey, it is meant
that he is gone from one Lord or Prince's dominion to
another Prince's dominion; as for example, when a man
comrnittcth an offence in GWYNEDD or NORTHWALES,
which containeth ten CANTREDS, and fleeth or goeth
to P&wy$r which is the name of another Country and
Prince's dominion, which containeth ten other CAN-
TREDS, he is gone from one Country or dominion to
another, and the Law cannot be executed upon

OF THfi DRUIDS. 233

for he is gone out of the Country. Tegings is a Count-
ry and containeth but one Cantred, and Dyfrvn Ghvyd
was a Country, and did contain but one CANTRED.
And when any did go out of Tegings to Dyfrvn Glwyd,
for to flee from the la\v, he went out from one Count-
ry to another. And so every Prince or Lord's domi-
nion was GWLAD or Country to that Lord or Prince,
so that GWLAD is PAGUS in my judgment. Some-
times a Cantred doth contain two Comot, sometimes
three, or four, or five ; as the CAXTREFE of Glamorgan
or MORGANWG containeth five Comots. And after that
the Normans had won some parts of the Country, as
one Lord's dominion, they constituted in that same
place a Senescal or Steward, and that was called in
the Brittish tongue SWYDDOG, that is an Officer ; and
the Lordship that he was Steward of was called SWYDD
or Office, and of these SWYDDEV were made Shires.
And G'WYDD is an Office be it great or small, and SWYD-
DOG is an Officer likewise of all states ; as a Sheriff is
a SWYDDOG, his Sheriff-ship or Office, and the Shire
whereof he is Sheriff, is called Swydd. So that
Swydd doth contain a^ well the Shire as the Office of
a Sheriff, as SWYDD AMWYTHIO is the Shire or Office
of the Steward, Senescal, or Sheriff of Salop, &c.

IX. As for the ninth Question, The greatest and
highest degree was Brenin, or Teyen, that is, a king;
and next to him was a Twysog, that is a Duke ; and
next to him was a Jarll, that is an Earl ; and next to
him was an Arglwydd, that is a Lord ; and next to him
was a Barwn, and that I read least of. And next to

G 2

THE HISTORY

that is the Preir or Vchelur, which may be called the
Squire : next to this is a Gwreange, that is a Yeoman ;
and next to that is an Alttud ; and next to that a Kaeth,
which is a Slave ; and that is the meanest amongst
these nine several Degrees. And these nine Degrees
Lad three several tenures ef Lands, as Maerdir, Vche-
lordir, Prwdordir. There be also other names and
degrees, which be gotten by birth, by office and by dig-
nity ; but they all are contained under the nine afore
sa d Degrees.

X. As for the tenth Question, I do not find nor
have not read neither to my knowledge, in any Chro-
nicle, law, History or Poetry, and Dictionary y any such
word : but I find in the Laws and Chronicles, and in
many other places this word Rhailh to be used for the
oath of one hundred men, or two hundred or three
hundred, or such like number, for to excuse some hein-
ous fact ; and the more heinous was the fact,, the more
men must be had' k* the Rh-aith to excuse it ; and one
must be a chief man to excuse it amongst them,, aud
that is called Penrhaith, as it were the foreman of the
Jury, and he must be the best, wisest, and discreetest
of all the others. And to my remembrance the Rhait~
hwyr, that is the Men of the Rhaitk, must be of those
that are next of kin, and best known to the supposed
offender,, to excuse him for the fact

XT, As for the eleventh Question, I say that I find
a Steward and a Controller to be tused for a Distain in

OF THE DRUIDS. 235

my Dictionary. I cannot find any greater definition
given it any where, then is given it in my Book of
Laws. Vide Dittoine, in the Table of my Book of
Laws.

XI I. To the twelfth Question, I say, that the Brit-
tons had many Councils, and had their Counsellors scat-
terM in all the Lordships of the Land. And when any
controversy or occasion of Counsel happened in Swyncdd,
the king called his Counsellors that had their abode
there, for to counsel for matters depending the to, toge-
ther with those that were there of his Court or Guard :
for the king and his chief Judge and certain of his
Council always in his company ; and when the king had
any occasion of Counsel for matters depending in De-
metia, or Powys, or Cornwal, lie called those of his
Counsel that dwelled in those coasts for to counsel with
them. And they went to a certain private house or
tower on a top of a hill, or some solitary place of coun-
sel far distant from any dwelling, and there advised
unknown to any man but to the Counsellors them-
selves ; and if any great alteration or need of counsel
were, that did pertain to all the land* then the king
assited unto him all his Counsellors to some convenient
place for to take their advice ; and that ha.ppcn'd but
very seldom.

CATALOGUES vocum quaritndam ARMORICARUM quas
HIBERNICAS esse deprehendi, quasque ex libello
quern mihi mutuo dedit CL et Rev. Dominus,
Domlnus Jo. MILUUS S. S. T. in Academia
Oxoniensi P. ibidcmque Aulae Sanct. Edmundanac
Principalis, collegi et desumpsi.

JLJRITTANNI Armorici Angliam Bro-saos vocant, hoc
est, Saxonum patriam ; quo nomine paululum variatos
Hiberni idem regnum indigitare solent : et ipsos in-
colas Clan na Sassanach, id est, Saxones ; ad ver-
bum vero Saxonwnjilios, appellant.

Hibernis gentilis sernio Gaolac dicitur, quod idem
sonat significatque, ac Armoricorum Gallec, qua voce
Gallorum linguam in hodiernum usque diem intelli-
gunt, ut in ambarum gentium scriptis videre est.

Etiamsi in sequent! Parallelo aliquando litterse et
syllable quaedam non levem discrepantiam prae se ferre
videantur ; eadem tamen illis est potestas, et sonus
idem. Sic at, off, et es finales Armoricae, respondent
ach, agh, et as Hibernicis. Guy initialis cum Ji> b
cum p, d cum /,/cum v saepissime commutantur.

Sed de hisce fusius, et similis argumenti omnibus,
in Dissertatione, quam de veterum Lingua Gallorum,
cum primum Romanorum arm a experti sunt, annuente
summo numine, scripturi sumus. *

OF THE DRUIDS.

237

Oxoniae, 19 Decembris, Anno a Christo nato, 1693.

ARMORICE.

HlBERNICE.

LATINE.

Isel.

[seal.

Huni'lis.

Iselhat.

Tsealacht.

Hnuutiatio.

Oan.

Uan.

Apnus.

Oaviic.

Uanin.

Agnellus.

Flem.

Fleiiih *•

Aculeus.

Den.

Duine.

Homo.

Denhihan.

Dumebuineach.

Hotnuncio.

Caret.

Caraid f.

Amicus.

Carantes.

Cavrantas ||.

Amicitia.

Guvr.

Coir.

Jus.

Hirrahat.

Direachagh.

Elongatio.

Bloaz.

Bliaghuin.

Annus.

Amser.

Amsfir.

Ten i pus.

G ronan.

(iiuan *.

A rena.

Asen.

Assil.

A sin us.

Dal).

Dall.

CM ecus.

Dallaf.

Dalli^h.

Caecitas.

Gonalen.

Gualun.

Humerus.

Querch.

Coire.

A vena.

Ives.

Ltiamu

Guile.

Oile.

Alius.

Porq

Pog.

Osculum.

Scubelleu.

Scuab.

S^upa.

Scuba f.

Scuabagh.

Verrere, Scopa.

Lezron,

Leasrach.

Femora.

Mat.

Maith.

Bonus

M attract.

Maithghnioth.

Beneficium.

Madelez.

Maittieas.

Bon'tas.

Cam.

Curvus.

Ber.

Bear.

Veru.

Losq

Lo«cath.

Ustio.

Qu.trrec,

Carrie.

Rupes.

Gouris.

Cris.

Cingu'um,

Ludu.

Luoth.

Cinis.

Codoer.

Caithir.

Cathedra.

* Gath etfom Hibernice.

t Cura Hibernis Australibus.

t Caddis etiam Hibernice.

* Gwiibh •liam Hibernice,

238

THE HISTORY

Caboun.

Cabun.

Capo.

Glaouen.

Gualan.

Car bo.

MoftlL

Maoi'.

Cnlvus.

Derven.

Dairf.

Quercus.

Gaor.

Gaur.

Caper.

Em ty me.

An ma thi.

In Domo mea.

Quy.

Cu.

Canis venatieus,

Caol!.

Cal.

Biassica.

Ancuff.

Nemh.

Cotluni.

Coar.

Ceir.

Cera.

Garan.

Garagh.

Taig.

Tairne.

Clavus,

Coulm.

Coluira.

Coluinba.

Evel, eguis

Evail, eguis

Ur.

Quillocq.

Cuilloch.

Gallus Gftllinaceus.

liin.

Him.

Aer.

Athir^

Coluber.

Laes.

Lis.

Dora us regia.

Guiriff.

Gurigbo

Ova ponere.

GoiotF.

Foluigh.

rFegere,

Crouezr.

Criathar.

Cribra.

CridifF.

Credinih.

Credere,

Creven.

S'creavog.

Crusta,

Creiz.

Cre.

Lutura,

Lezr.

Leathir.

•Cor in m.

Die.

Diiagh.

Deb i turn.

Dref.

Deregh.

Pone.

Diaoull.

Diabhil.

Oiabolus.

Lavaret.

Lauairt.

Loqui.

A creis.

A cbreis.

E medio.

Droue.

Drocli.

Mai us.

MezuitF.

M\*ce.

Ebrius.

Choar.

Seuar.

Soror.

Tre-menguae.
Clezeu.

Dremire.

Claiau.

Scala.
Gladius.

Teoahat.

Tiuhact.

Spissitas.

Ober.

Obuir.

Opus,

Tan.

Tinne.

Ipuis.

Map.

Mac.

Fih us.

Moch.

Muc.

Porcus.

Saez.

Suste.

Imbecillis.

Dineiz.

Dineart. •

Vis.

Unde forte droi Druides, doire neraus.

OF THE DRUIDS.

239

Nerz.

Neart.

Vis.

Poull.
Delyou.

Poll.
Duillog.

Fossa, puteus.
Folium.

Techeu

Glin.

Tethag'i.
Gluu.

Fugere.
G e n u .

Croucq.

Cruith.

Patibulum.

Stut.

Sdiuir.

C Navis ^uberna-

> ClllUTTl,

(ireunen.
Bloanee.
Kurmat.
Hoary.

Gran in.
Bl-unic.
Uainnhaitb,
Uavar.

Granunj.
Pinguedo.
Auspicium,

Jin etui..

.Inis, '

1 1- *

Tout

Lediui.
Lenfr.

.Teangha,.
Lethan,
Leabliar,

Lingua.
Largus.
Liber,

Dorn,

Uorn,

11 ^

Pugnus.

i .

Domus.

Cla£
Drouchoberer.

Clabh,
Drocliobri,

Aeger.
Malesicus.

Laf-smani.

LeasihhatLiir,

Noverca.

Mintin.

Madin.

Mane.

Mof.

Muirf,

Mare

Trugarez.

Tiocare,

Misericordia.

Coch.

Cac,

Merda.

Queniesq,

M'eascagh,

Miscere.

Offeren.

Ailfrin-t,

Missa.

Manac-h.

Manfich,

Monachui,

Mis.

Mi,

Mensis.

Bovicq*

Bog,

Moll is,

Mam.

Marv,

M or tuns.

Bugale.

Buachvill,

Puemlus^.

Quelgeuen.

Cuileog,

Musca.

Guenell.

Gineal,

Napci.

Nedelec.

Nolluic,

\ Nativitatis
i Christi fe&tum.

Du;

Du.

Niger.

])uat.

Duach%

Nigredo.

Cio^ouen.

Croa,

Nuees.

Beuzer.

Baite.

MersuSc

J| Deac etiam Hihernice. ,

J Morh et Moir etiam.

j| Haud dubium qum a LaUno offero deducendun sit,

2-10

THE HISTORY

Ui.

Ui vet Oi,

Ovum.

Plu quen.

Blusc,

Plusqueu un ui.

Blusc na hui.

Ezn.

Ean, '

Avis,

Eznic.

Eanin.

Avicula.

Eznetaer.

Fanadair.

Aurt ps.

Diegus.

Diabhum.

Utiosus,

Laeshann.

Leasainm.

Cognomen,

Ivin.

Ighuin.

[JllgUiS.

Colo.

Calog.

Pak-a,

Bara.

A ran.

Panis.

Retina if.

Rnnnagb.

Dividere.

Quetre.n.

Keavrin.

Particula,

Golven.

Gnlvun.

Passer.

Crorhen.

Crocean.

Pellis.

Crib.

(ir*.

Pecten.

Collet.

Cailte.

Perditus.

Tat.

At hair.

Pater,

Bram.

Brim.

Ventris crepitusa

Troat.

Troilh.

Pes.

Truez.

Truaighe,

Compassio.

Leun.

Lan.

P;enus.

GouflafE

Giilagh.

Fie re.

Goueluan.

Gulnn.

F e'us.

Ai5jiU

Avulk

M;.lus, arbor.

SquevenU

Scavan.

Pulmo.

Breiriaff.

Breanagb.

Putiejicere, foetere,,

Brein.

Puti.ius.

Doun.

Dovuin,

Profuudus.

Queigu-el.

Cuigeal,

Cdttts.

Scuillaf.

Scinltagb.

Solvere.

Segal.

Segal,

Secale,

Bouzar.

Bovar,

Surdus,

Logoden.

Lucbog.

Mus.

Tar us.

'! arv

T. urns.

Guyader.

Fiadoir,

Ti- xtor.

Lien.

Lian.

Lhiteum,

Bieuch.

Beflcb,

Btstia f.

Leve.

Laoi.

Vilnius.

GUIS.

Glas.

V'ridis.

Guyrionez.

Fioriontas.

Veritas.

Bouit.

Biath.

Cibus.

$ Hiberni etlam discunt Criban.
)| Speciatrm Vacca Armoricis.

OF THE DRUIDS.

141

Btu.

Beo,

Vivus.

Seuzl..

Sal,

Calx pedis.

Amman,

Biirft

Butyrus.

Olen,

Solun.

Sal.

Lous-iouen,

Lus, Lussan.

Herba.

JMismeurz,

Mi main.

Mensis Martius,

Miseproll.

Miobreal,

Aprilis |%

Mismesuen,

Vlimheasvach.

Junius J,

Misgouare,

Mipuare.

Julius A,

Misgueugolo,

Mifinfoloi,

September B%

Mistezre,

Miheasri.

October c.

Mi stlu.

Mi dhu. ,

November o.

Mesqucrdu,

Michrumdu,

December B.

Mixguenuer.

Micainvair.

Januarius P.

MiRcheurer.

Michuir,

Feb( uarius 0*

Sizun,

Seachtiiin.

Septimana.

Dillun,

Deallain,

Dies Lunae.

Doue.

Dia.

Oeus.

Aelez,

Ai^lile.

Ang^li,

Kaer,

Caihir,

Civitas.

Menn,

Meatman,

Hoed us.

Crouer.

Cruigbeoir.

Creator.

lifern.

Effritt,

Tartarus.

Choareil.
Ezom.

Cor^as.
Eassoinb,

Quadragesima.
Indigentia.

Buanegez.

Baneghas,

Furor.

Marchyat,
lourch.

Marcuiacht,
Tore,

Aequitatio-
Aper.

* Operarius. I . , .

$ Formosus. Mensis-

A Portuum.
x. Nigerrimus.

B Albifeg-umenti. c Aratorius. »
*• Jaitialis. o Sementanus.

H 2

VOCABULARIUM

- Hibernicum .

ARMORICE. HIBERNICE. LATIN!

AEH.

Aighir.

Aer.

Aur.

Or.

Auruiric

AT.

Ar, Aras.

Terra.

All.

Oile.

Alius.

Angor..

Ancoire.

Anchora.

Argant.

Argiodo

Argentum*.

Arm.

Arm a.

Alt.

Saltus.

Ane, Ene.

Anam.

Anima. .

Aval.

Pomum.

Bara.
Brun.

Brech.
Bu.

Broche

Berr.
Bresych.
Bach, Bagl.

Brenn, Brennyn,

Bardd.
Baar.
Breur.
Bren.

Barin.

Paniso

Brunn.

Venter, ma-
milla.

Braighc

Brachium.

Bo.

Bos.

Broc.

Vas fieMle
vel ligneum

Bearr.

Brevis.

Praysseach.

Rrassica.

Batta, Bachull.

Baculus.

j Brennin, V
( Breatheamh. }

Rex, Judex

Bard.

Poeta.

Barra.

Vectis,

Brathair, ,

Frater.

I Breun.

Foetidus.

OF THE DftUIDS.

243

Buch, Bouch. Buc. i Caper mas.

Ci, Cun.

Cu, Cun,

Canis, canes.

Cren.

Cruinn.

Rotundus.

Crou.

Cruaigh.

JDurus.

Carr.

'Carr.

v arms aut

Cat,£az.

Cat.

Felis.

Canab. | Canaik

^anab.is.

Cantol.

CoianeoL

< andelja.

Craou, Craouen,

Cru, Cau*

Nu-jt,

Coir.

Ceir.

^ era.

Caul. -?

Cal

c t aulis.vel
| Brassica.

Cist,

Caiste.

Cista.

Can.

v ann, Caintic,

i anticum.

Cana.

Canagh,

Canere.

Cambr,

Seomra.

C amera.

Cam.

am.

( urvus.

Cant.

('ant, ('cud.

( entum.

Canol.

( anal.

L analis.

Caru, Caro,

C arr-fhiggh.

Cervus.

Chaden.

Caddan.

Catena.

CounicL

Cunin.

-Cunlculus.

Cale.

coilL

Sylva.

Car.

1 *

< harus.

Croug.

Cros'

Cm?;.

Curun, coroa.

(^oroin.

t-orona.

Corf.

Corp.

Corpus.

Coch.

Coch, Corkire.

,( ' OCCUS,

( Purpureus.

Crin.

Crian.

Aridus.

Coq.

Cociiire.

C oquus.

Carchar.

Carcan.

Career.

Caban.

-Casula,

Calch.

Cailce

Creta.

Caus. j-Caise.

Cascus.

244

i HE HTSTORY

•

Derti.
Dun.

Dair.
Dun,

Quercus.
Collis.

Daigr.

Deor.

Gutta, lachiyma-

Deilen.

( Duille,
( Duilleog.

Folium.

Dour.

Dorn.

Pugnus.

Dour.

Dur.

Acjiia.

Doun.

Domhain.

Profundus.

Di, Deiz,

De.

Dies.

Dec.

Deag, Deich.

Decem.

Dolur.

Dolas.

Dolor.

Dug.

Duibhee. .:^ j

Dux.

Dor.

Dorus.

Ostium.

Dag.

Daggear.

Pugio.

Dreuc.

Droch.

Mahis.

DoL

DaL

Vallis.

Den.

Duine.

Homo.

Eduyn.

Eadhan.

Videlicet.

Erigea.

Eirigh.

Surgere.

Forn,

Fuirn.

Furrms.

Fin.

Subtilis.

Fin.

Finn.

Candidus.

Feur.

Fear.

!Nundinae.

Foen.

Feur.

Foenum.

Ffruyn.

Sreun.

Froenunv

Fron.

Sron, Sronin.

Nasum, Nares.

Fals.

Falsa.

Falsus.

Fallat.

FaJlagh.

Fall ere.

Forch.

Fore.

Furca.

Furm.

Foirrn. ,

Forma.

Fest.

Feasta.

Festus.

OF THE DRUIDS.

245

Gouin.

Fion. Vinum.

Greun.

Grain.

Granum.

Gaour.

Gabhar.

Caper.

Glu, Glut.

Glen.

Gluten.

Groin.

Grinn.

j Porcorum
1 proboscis.

Glas.

Viridis.

Glin.

Glun.

Genu.

G'oar.

Gloir.

Gloria.

Glaif.

Claidheamb.

Gladius.

Goaz.

Gia^h.

Anser.

Gard.

Gardin.

Hortus.

Garm.

Gairm.

Beatus.

Hun.

Sun.

Somnus.

Henn.

Sean.

Vetus,

Imaich.

Imhaigh.

Imago.

Isge.

Uisge.

Aqua.

Lin.

Linn.

Stagnurn, lacus.

La.

Lamh.

Manus.

Lin.

Lion.

Linum.

Lili.

Liliura,

Lug.

Corvois.

Laguen.
Lech. ,

Lag,
Leac.

Lacuna, stagnum
Rupes.

Lin.

Linin,

Linea.

LifTr.

Leabhar.

Liber.

Lance.

Langa.

Lancea.

Lace.

Nask. ! Laqueus.

Lys, Lesi

Lis.

Aula, Curia.

Leu.

Leomhan.

Leo.

Ledr, Lezu.

Leathar.

Corium.

Lcgis.

Lostin, 1 Hospitium.

246

THE HISTORY

Mis.

Mi.

Men sis.

Milin.

Mulinn.

Molendinum.

Mantel.

Mantal.

f Muliebre
\ pallium.

Mai.

Mala.

Sacci genus.

Mock

Muc.

Porcus.

Mam.

Mathair.

Mater.

Migu.

Measgah.

Miscere.

Mor, Mar.

Muir, Mara.

Mare.

Mel.

MM.

MeL

Mill

Mile.

Mill-e.

Mall.

Mallachta,

(Malus, scele-
\ ratus.

Maestr.

Magkisdir.

Magister.

March.

Marc.

JEquus.

Marg,

Meirg,

Ferrugo,

. N.

Nos.

Noiche,

Nox.

Neu, neuea,

Nua, Nuattu

Novus-

Nef.

Neamh.

Nubes.

Nith, Neis.

Nead.

Nidus.

Neuth.

Snaithe.

FiluHi.

Neza, Niddu.

Snaighthagh.

Nere.

Niul, Niful

Neull.

Nebula.

Naou.

Naoi.

Noveni.

Nith.

Nigheann.

Neptis.

Natur.

Naduir. Nstura.

Oil.

OH, uile.

Omnis.

OrgouiL

Orgoill.

Superbus.

Ober.

Obuir.

Opera.

Ole«, Eol.

Ola.

Oleum.

Office.

Offig.

Officium.

Once.

Unsa. »

Uncia.

Or,

Ore.

Terminu?,

OF THE DRUIDS.

247

Pemp,

f Pemp, vox an-
1 tiqua.

Quinque,

Pis.

Pisum,

Fez.

Pisa.

Frustum,

Pris.

Pretium,

Perth.

Purt.

Portus,

Porfor.

Purfur.

Purpura,

Post.

Posta.

Postis,

Punt.

Punta.

Pondo,

Pobl.

Pobul.

Populus,

PerilL

Pericl1.

Periculum,

Plant

Planta.

Planta,

Pare,

Pairc.

Viridarium,

Pal, PouL

PoU»

J Stagnum, La-
£ cuna, Sinus.

Rhodl,

Ramha,

Remus,

Raden, Hadin,

Rathin,

Filix,

Rhy,

Riogh,

Dominus, Rex,

Rac,

Rach,

Enim, nam,

Raeson,

Resun,

Ratio,

Rot, Rhod,

Rhotha, rit,

Rota,

Rousin,

Rosin,

Resina,

Ros> Rosen,

Rosa,

Rosa.

Sebon,

Sopa,

Sapo,

Segal,

Seagul,

Secale,

Saeth,

Saghid,

Sagitta,

Sug,

Su,

Succus,

Sgub, ysgub,
Sul,

Scuab,
Solus^

Scopa,
Sol, Lux,

Siell, SeL

Seala.

Sigillum.

248

THR HISTORY

Taru, Tare,

Tarbh,

Taurus,

Tur,

Tor,

Tunis,

Tumbe,

Tumba,

C Tumulus, Se-
f pulchrum,

Tir,

Terra,

Tec,

Deach,

Domus,

Term-en,

Tearmonn,

Terminus,

Ti,

Ti, Tigh,

Domus,

Taran,

C Torman,
> Tarneaoh,

Tonitru,

Torch,
Titl,

Torch,
Tiodal,

Torques,
Titulus,

Teyrn,

Tighearna,

Dominus, Rex,

Teyrnas>

Tighearnas,

Dominatio,

Tasg,
Tonn,

Taisce,
Tunn,

Vectigal,
Cadus,

Teuth.

Tuath,

Gens. ^

Uy>

Oibh, Ovum.

Ur, Gur.

Fear, 1 Vir,

*i*r * ' "T

SPECIMEN

OF THE

AfcMORICAN LANGUAGE*

THE BEATITUDES, Matt. viii. i, $6

E irus bras e'on peuryen ves
bspc>ei racrouariietez an etif-
faon a apj>archdni bnte.

Eui tti bras eo ah, re debon-
ner'j rdc drt tiouai a possedinfc

Eurus bra$ ieb ah re a gohel±
rdc iunsolei vezini.

EtirttS bras kb an re ho fie-
%ez naoiiri lid rccheit rac tas~
sassitt vt'zint.

JEtirus bras ed ft« re Irtiga*
Hatis ti ttetezd.

Eurus brd$ ed &ti re o deve§
ho frdibun nde^ rac giietet ti
taint tiotf.

bum bras ed at re pate
fic^ rac guWei fazitil biigaie

braS io tiri f£ pere a
versetM a pdtantdur
'dd jttsfe tac rbudritelti bri
so

Blessed are the pool* in Spi-
rit, tor the kingdom of Hea-
iren is theirs, &c.

PRONUNCIATION.

'Cha ds shd, &c. C as s. A
iirial / is mute. Double^* as
v Consonant; t?ii; go, gti,
liard ; Ge, gi sbft. Gn as ni
in Opinion^ H is always piro-
iiouhced; JCdrisonartt as in
Dutch; A final * as & Z
has a particular pronuncia-
tion. Jey arii Dhnitiutive
teriiiihJitions; as Map, Ma*
pic; AferoA, A/ercAtc;
dr 'Grfoch

250

OP THE DRUIDS.

The Sum of the

7V a caro an Atitiaou da

Doue a creis a a calfm< a cieis

da ernfy hac a creis da enteu-

darrent.

'( e a caro ia nessaff eueldot
da hurt'in.

t-jn Commandments itr

verse.
f. En un Doue parfaet ez

Ha parfaetamant a quiry.

II. Doue e vaeu ne touy
qnct,

JVa dememes ncttra erbet.

III. An, Sultjon hac an

A obse^vy $a»t pedennou.

IV. Da tat da mam hep
b-,ut fell.

-A enory hac ez bevy pell.

V. Mot/ntrer yvez ne vity

quet,
A volontez »ac a effet.

VI. Luxurim mir ma mzy\

j\T<2 dre effect na dre.

VI I. Latzerez na miret ma

daou den

En ep guys ne ry bizu*
icquen.

Law and Gospel.

Thou st)a<t love the Lord
thy God will* all thy heart,
with all thy soul, and with
«li thy understanding.

Th»u shalt love thy ne igh*
bour as thy own self.

In English prose.

I. One onely God shalt thcu

believe,
And perfectly love.

II. By Go 1 in vain thou shalt

not swear,

Nor likewise by any other
thing.

III. Sundays and Holydaya

shalt thou keep
• In' serving God devoutly,

IV. Thy fit her and mother
shalt thou honour,

That thou mayst lead &
long life.

V. Thou shalt likewise do

no murther,
By Will nor Deed.
VL Nor shalt thou be luxu«

riouR

la Deed or Desire.
VII. Th u shalt not keep

the goods of another
Privately or by force,

THE HISTORY

251

VHL Nac a cuep denfals

testcny

Gaon e lech guir ne livirif.
IX. Na dcsir cuffc uu qu-

icq bizuicquen.
Nemet gaut priet ep muy

quen.
X+ .VJadaon da hentez ne

hoantai quet,
Euit ep raesoun ho mirct.

The Lord's Prayer.

lion Tat pehi/iy so en evf~
f&u.

Hoz hano bezet sanctified

H\> rouautelez devet demp.

Ho volontez bezet graet en
douar eud en euff.

Rait demp hizyau hon bam
pemdizyec.

Ha pardonet dem k<m off 'in-
con, eud ma pardonomp dan
T€£n denes ny tfffancet,

Ha na permettet quet ez
coveze men tentation.

Hoguen hon delwret a
droue.

Ma Done ho pet trucz on*
zijftrcez ho trugarez bras.

The

Me a crct e?i Done e Tat
fllgaUoudcc, cr alter dan Euff

VIII. '1 liou shalt not btar
false witness

Nor I)' in any wise.

IX. Thou shalt net do the
works of the flesh,

But in marriage onely.

X. Thou stialt not covet thy

neighbours ^oods
To krep them without rea-
son.

In English.

Our Father which, art in
Heaven.

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom came.

Thy will bt- done on Earth,
as it is in Heaven.

Givt us this day our daily
bread.

And urgive us onr offen-
ces, as we forgive those that
offend us.

Suffer us not to fall into
temptation.

But deliver us from evil.

Lord have pity upon me
according to t'.iy great meicy.

Creed.

I believe in God the Fa-
ther, &c.

25;

OF THE DRUIDS.

hadandonnr. Hac en Jesus An.trapu J)oue discuezit

Christ t map unic han Antra- dif? hos rnthou, ha q leleunet

liou. Pthiny so M concevet cliff ho garantehcm. En hanu

ves au Speret santel, guanet an Pat, an Map, an Speret

ves an guerches Mary En santej.
dtves gouzavet didan Poncz
Pilot, so bet crucified

ha sebeliet. ^o het d'wjuen-
net en iffernaou^ ha dan trede

That is,

Lord God shew me thy
an<^ teach me thy paths,
in the name pf the Father,

dez ressuscitet q maru da beu. Son, and holy Spirit.
ffrom Death to LtfeJ So Jesus map f)uue ho pet
pingnet en Ei{ffapn9 hac ase» trout?, i>uriff.

sfet an tu dehou da Doue, e
Tat ollgalloudec. A hane ez
dtty da barn an re beu, hac an
re maru. Me cret en Spcrct
santel, hac an His Catholic.
Ha communion an sent. /<c-

mission an pechedon.

rection nit Quic.
An buhez eternel.
Eu al-se bezet gract*

Jesus Son pf Gad have
pity upon me.

Hanu Doue bezet ben*
niguet.

Tbe name of the God be

. Antraou hoz bet fruygarez
onzvmp.

Lord have mercy upon us.
A bremman, bepret da M*
zuicquen.

From this time to Eternity,
So be it.

Numbers.

tfnax, daou, try, penar, One, two, three, four, five,
pcmp, huech, seiz, eiz, nao, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
dec, unnec, daouzec, tryzec^ eleven, twelve,'thirteen,four-
penarzec, pempzec. seittec^ teen, fifteen, sixteen, scven-
ciffec, naontec, ugucni. teen, eighteen, nineteen,

Jwent.y.

OF THP, DRUIDS.

233

Unn n voar tSugtnt, &c.

Tregonti daovgtitHt, franter
cant, try itguent dtc « try u*
guertt, penur ugyriit, u€c a
peiar ugupnt, Qqnt, Mil,
Million.

One aud twenty, &n.

Thirty, f«>ity, half n hurw
dreii, 2 e. fifty, thie< sco.e,
til -et score an i len, fourscore,
fourscore and ten, a
fdred1, Thous>aa4, Miliiou.

, Dyllun, Dttncti'z,
Dtmercher, Dizio-u, Urrgue-
wer, Dessadqirn, un bizun, un
Dt2.

cfa

dez

Ha dechhu Ivez
Penaus a hanochhu
Yach ouf q

Pea lech ez it-hit

Me govezp yn guiryonez,

GALLORUM,

TARAMIS,

Hesus.

Teuta^es,

Belenus, vel

Abill'Q

Onvaria. Anara, Hib,

Hogmius,

Adi as if. An date.

HUMMUS MAGISTRATUS,

Alauda,
Caterva.

Gae i ,; ie.

Vargi.

Cjrupellarii,

SPECIES,

Sun-lay, Munday, Tueg*
day, Wednesday, Thursday,
Fnday, Saturday, a WetK,
a Pay,

God give you a good

And to you likewise.

HO.V do vou do ?

I sim well by God's mi rcy.

Wnitiier go xou ?

I atjall know the truth.

OFFICIORUM MAXI
me sacrorum no*

Bardj. Bard, Ba/rrf, H.

pruidfB. \ Pyf* Uruidhe,

^ HID.
£i;bages.corrupte pro Vates*

MjJJTARlA VOCAEULA.

Qer.

Bellicae.

Mangan'a. I
)

Mangonalia

Currvum Nomina*
Beuna.

254 THE HISTORY, &c.

Bagaudse. Bagadat. Petoritum.

Galearii. Carrus.

Covinum.

ARMORUM NOMINA, Essedum.

Spatha. Rheda.
Gessum.

Lancea. Ftstiurn Nomine*

Cateia.

Matara. Rheno.

Thyreus. Tarei, Hib. Sagus.

Cetra. Liana f.

Carnon £ ^arfiant videas. Gaunacum.

£ quseras. Bardiacus, pro Bardis«

Bardocucullus, etiam pro Bardis.
Braccae, pro omnibus. Breaccan.
Maniaci.

Animalium Nomina,

Marc, Equus.

Rhaphius, Lupus Cervinus.
Abrana, Simla.
Barracaceae, Pellium, &c<,
Lug, Cornix. Mus.
Clupea. Piscis species.

t .I/fnnae, saga quadra ct mollia sunt, de quibus Plaut. tinnae cooperta.
est textrino Gallia. Isidor-

Linna Diodoro est SAG is PSILOS, et Varroni mollis sague, Hibernis hodier-
nis indusiura est non una mutata Httera.

FINIS.

AN ELEGY

On the late ingenious MR. TOLAND.

O TOLAND r mighty friend fo Nature's laws,

Thou great support of Truth, and Reason's cause;

Art thou more ? Is thy last breath expir'd ?

And nature to her ancient seat retirM ?

Each jarring element gone angry home ?

And Master TOLAND a Non-ens become?

Is all thy el'qufnt breath, thy woiui'rous boast

Of argument, iri boundless jEther lost ?

Earth gone to earth, the mould'ring substance jnush

By slow degrees, dissolve to native Dust.

The cooler fluids, and the \vat'ry part

That dampt thy blood, and quench'd thy noble heart,

Now leave the stiff unariimated clay,

And to their m other Ocean seek their way.

The purer genial pow'rs, the vital flame,

That mov'd and quicken'd the mechanic frame,

Is flown aloft, a spnrk, a borrow'd ray,

And re-united to the Prince of Day.

Oh! weep, Britannia's Sons, your Champion's dead,

The Patron of your Liberty is fled,

O Liberty ! thou Goddess heav'nly bright f

Thou dost impart thy radiant beams of light

To this blebt Isle which of thy darling train,

Will, like this Hero, thy just cause maintain?

How greatly brave has he undaunted stood

AN ELFGY.

Ay««njs-t a lo-iuii, an impeiuous

Of bigotted Enthusiasts^ an i tricks

Of Pedantry, and priestly Politicks !

Thru pregnant Genius, who thy pfaisfe Can tell?.

Th\ Reason did, like morning Sun, dispel

Dark clouds of Ignorance* and break the spell

Of Rome's. In< hantmentSj and tae lesser frauds

Of Churches Piotestant* and English LAUDS.

To tuee we owe, to thy Victorious 'hatid*

A rescuM People, and a ,ransoriiM land.

Thou hast broke off oaf manacles and chains,

And freed our minds of Ptipersntirtus f>ains. .

Thy shining lamp has bioiigtit resplendent day,

Fnitly describM the plain and easy tora'y*

Cit-ar'd of the rubbish of rrtysterioiis Schools^ ^

And mazes intricate of pigus fools,-

Enslav'd to narrow foniis^ind captiVatirigftules.

Oh ! hadst thou iit'd to banish all the Dreams

Of fab'lous Ages, arid he Mdnkisk Themes

Of Miracle*, of MyfUeties* *ijd fales^

(Wheie fancy oVef eoinn.ori sense |>revaiiji)

Then might we mourrt thy fate With less eon£ern3

With less regret behold thy sacred Urn.

Hov\e'er, thy great efctfttifiie ha^ insptr'd

A nob'e emulatioa« it has firV

The glowing breasts of OUT 'thtrihriid Yauth,

"With love of Liberty, and love of Truth.

Tilou hast not left us* irt tbe gloo'ai of night^

Some Stars we bate,, thht tert<l a frrendiy light,,

That shed a ktn<$s ausspie'fOuS? hifluenee,-

To cherish Reason^ aid t<3> t'ipeu Sense y

Priatod by J, Fi

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Full text of "A critical history of the Celtic religion and learning: containing an account of the Druids ... with the history of Abaris, the Hyperborian, priest of the sun; to which is added, an abstract of the life of the author"

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